Spamalot vs. The Producers

[DoogieB]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 11:53am

Both extremely popular shows, regardless if you actually like them. For those who have seen both, which do you think got more laughs from the audience? After seeing The Producers I thought I had never heard more laughter in a Broadway theater, yet after seeing Spamalot, I don't know. Which do you recall recieving the most laughter when you visited each show?

[broadway betty]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:02pm

The first time I saw The Producers was when Nathan and Matthew came back and the laughter was deafening! But the 3 times that I've seen it since then have been nowhere near that. And I saw Spamalot 3 times early, right around it's opening so the jokes and performances were fresh. I laughed so hard that my face and stomach hurt. Like the uncontrollable laughter that happens and you don't even notice that you hit your head on the seat in front of you!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:06pm

I honestly didn't pay attention...I don't really think either show is very funny.

When I think about it, I remember hearing harder and louder laughter at HAIRSPRAY when it first opened than at either of those shows.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:12pm

i think SPAMALOT recieved more laughs probably, I mean, I think the material is funnier than the PRODUCERS

and I agree with munk's comment about HAIRSPRAY- that show is hilarious! "the most fun I've ever had sitting down" (quoting a review thing)

[broadwaygiant19122]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:12pm

Spamalot...absolutely.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:32pm

Well, of course Spamalot did. The Monty Python freaks fill up the Shubert nightly. (But is the laughter really deserved?)

[broadwaygiant19122]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:33pm

I thought the show as a whole was better than the Producers. I do love Hairspray as well.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:38pm

Well, the thing is neither of them are particulary great. The Producers is the better show because it's so well staged and well structured (and *most* of the tunes are pretty good.) This is thanks to Mel Brooks' love of Broadway.
Spamalot isn't really good. I mean, out of the 15 songs in The Producers, there are 8 that are really, really, stand alone, great songs. In the even more jam packed Spamalot score (something like 18 numbers) there are 4. The book is messy and sketch-like as well. As I said before, Producers isn't always filled with Mel Brooks freaks, as Spamalot is filled with Python crazy people.

[livelife]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:55pm

the producers... keep it gay!

[mijofly19]

Posted: 2/26/06 at 1:22pm

I actually laughed more at Producers than at Spamalot. and I saw it after Nathan and Matthew left.