The Producers Star Marc Antolin on Satirizing Fascism
The Producers, a musical comedy currently playing on the West End, uses satire to tackle fascism.
Making fun of fascism is the best way to deal with it
According to Marc Antolin, who plays Leo Bloom, the show's approach is to laugh at fascists, making them the "butt of the joke".
As Antolin notes, this approach is rooted in a quote from Mel Brooks:
sometimes to make fun of these things is the best way to deal with it
The show features an array of satirical elements, including a giant Nazi Bratwurst, stormtroopers, and antisemitic pigeons, all of which serve to ridicule fascist ideology.
Author's summary: The Producers satirizes fascism through musical comedy.