Having played Leo Bloom in the sold-out run of The Producers at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 2024 to 2025, Marc Antolin is currently once again starring as the character at the Garrick Theatre for the West End transfer, working opposite Andy Nyman as Max Bialystock, and the Mel Brooks musical is booking until 21st February 2026. Marc played Terry Sightworsens in I Wish You Well: The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2024 and transferred with the musical when it opened at the Criterion Theatre, and Marc was directed by Shiv Rabheru and choreographed by Dame Arlene Phillips. In Quiz at the Chichester Festival Theatre and the 2023 National Tour, Marc played Tecwen Whittock/Mark Burnett/Quizmaster, where he worked with Daniel Evans, and he originated the roles of Iztik in The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse, Leo Matienne in The Magician’s Elephant for RSC and Michel the Conductor in the stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express when he played the character in both Chichester and Bath. During the coronavirus pandemic, Marc played Jean-René in Romantics Anonymous at Bristol Old Vic (he played Ludo/Loizeau/Remi in a previous production), which was streamed live when a huge US Tour was unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic closing theatres, and he played Marc Chagall in The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk opposite Audrey Brisson as Bella Chagall, and the two-handed production was streamed live nationally and globally once again from Bristol Old Vic. Over his extensive theatre career so far, amongst Marc’s projects, he starred as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre alongside Jemima Rooper as Audrey, Matt Willis as Orin, Forbes Masson as Mushnik and Vicky Vox as Audrey II, where Marc’s portrayal of the character saw him be nominated for Best Actor in a Musical at the 2019 Olivier Awards. Further shows for Marc include the semi-staged concert of Camelot as Sir Lancelot, Singin’ in the Rain at Chichester Festival Theatre as Sid Phillips, and he was in the original 2010 production of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical at the Courtyard Theatre and in the West End transfer at the Cambridge Theatre. Also having screen experience, Marc played Professor Rhys in Series 3 of thriller series Keeping Faith, working with Sian Phillips as Judge Owens and Eve Myles as Faith Howells. Speaking with us, Marc told us about starring as Leo Bloom in The Producers at the Garrick Theatre, his time in Quiz at Chichester Festival Theatre and on tour, working during the COVID pandemic in Romantics Anonymous and The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk and starring as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors.
You are currently co-starring as Leo Bloom in The Producers at the Garrick Theatre; for those unfamiliar with the show, what can you say about the musical and your character?
The Producers is a musical comedy about a down on his luck Broadway producer, Max Bialystock, and Leo Bloom, a shy, anxious accountant, who cook up a scheme to make money by producing the worst show ever. The plan backfires spectacularly when their awful musical becomes a surprise hit. The show is naughty, incredibly entertaining and the most fun you’ll have in the theatre watching this.
I play Leo Bloom and he is a timid, neurotic man who dreams of a bigger life. Over the show, he transforms from a bundle of nerves into someone who finds confidence, purpose and even love. He’s hilarious but also surprisingly heartfelt, which makes him a joy to play.
How is it working opposite Andy Nyman as Max Bialystock and with the rest of the cast, and had you worked with any of them prior to The Producers?
I just love him. It is such a joy to work with Andy, who I knew of before starting the job and had seen in many things. We also have a lot of mutual friends who said we would get on so well and they were right. It’s been amazing to find this new version of Leo and Max and put a lot of ourselves into the characters and we have a lot of fun every night doing this show.
What is Leo like to play and what do you enjoy most about playing the character?
It is EXHAUSTING. I love it. I really enjoy playing these neurotic, anxious, charming characters. I think there’s so much of that within us all and trying to find the truth behind all the physical comedy makes it so much more relatable. It’s been a total honour to reinvent this show with Mel Brooks’s approval and the character of Leo to discover what his version of a Broadway producer is, which is to put on big MGM-style shows with lots of dancing and heart. It’s so wonderful that we’ve pushed the dancing with Leo in this production and I’ve spent a lot of time learning to tap dance and pirouette.
How is it telling the story of The Producers and performing the musical numbers?
It’s like a drug each night performing this show. I’ve never known audience reactions like it. The cast across the board are quadruple threats, they can sing, dance, act and are all incredibly funny. I’m in awe of them all each night and we all have a lot of fun doing it, which I know shows from an audience perspective. I think that is why we get amazing responses because people want to laugh and be entertained and to make people feel that is an amazing thing to do.
How was it performing as Leo Bloom in the sold-out run at Menier Chocolate Factory in 2024/25 and how has it been transferring the show to the West End and seeing the response to the first major London revival of Mel Brooks’s musical adaptation of The Producers?
I mean, it is a role I never thought would come my way or a show I wasn’t sure would ever come back as it was HUGE. The joy of this production starting at the Menier is that it had to be a small, scaled-down version. I remember thinking how the hell are they going to do this? But the script is essentially written in various small locations apart from the big show within the show. The writing is so genius, by starting it in a small venue we were able to let that be the thing that shines, and in transferring it to the Garrick, we have kept the intimacy of the Menier but then scaled up all the showbiz moments and given it a sprinkling of West End glitter.
The response has just been incredible. I can’t believe my luck that I’m playing Leo Bloom in the first major revival of The Producers in the West End.
Was there anything that originally drew you to the production and how was it reading the script for the first time?
Patrick Marber called me in for a meeting for Leo Bloom, which came as a total surprise to me as normally you hear about shows coming up through the grapevine. Patrick told me he had seen me in a production of The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk and thought I’d be great for Leo. We had a lot of fun reading the scenes together and then I had to be put on tape for Mel Brooks to say yes. Luckily he did.
When I first read the script, I was reminded of how risqué and hilarious the writing is. It’s almost like an early South Park/The Book of Mormon. I also saw the original production at Drury Lane with Nathan Lane and Lee Evans, who I was a huge fan of as a comedian, so I was desperate to put my stamp on this.
Why would you recommend booking tickets to see The Producers at the Garrick Theatre in the West End, which is booking until 21st February 2026, and what can audiences expect from this revival of the musical?
To quote the show… ”It was shocking, outrageous, insulting… and I loved every second of it!”. I think it is the most fun you can have in a West End theatre at the moment and we all need it right now.
Can you tell us about playing Terry Sightworsens in I Wish You Well: The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the West End transfer at the Criterion Theatre, which was directed by Shiv Rabheru and choreographed by Dame Arlene Phillips?
Agh, this was such a surprise in so many ways. We went to Edinburgh thinking we would just have a fun summer, then (excuse the pun) it totally snowballed and became this massive hit. It was such a wild time. We had two weeks rehearsal, most of us were friends before so it was hilarious putting on a show with your mates, and then obviously to work with Dame Arlene Phillips was such a bucket list moment. It all happened so quickly and it was the first show that Roger Dipper and Rick Pearson had written, so for it to be a success for them was incredible.
How was it being part of Quiz at Chichester Festival Theatre and on the 2023 National Tour as Tecwen Whittock/Mark Burnett/Quizmaster?
It was such a great play with an incredible ensemble of actors. I love how people are still so obsessed with the story of the big coughing scandal and to tour this huge show to venues across the UK was amazing. It was also so brilliant to work with Daniel Evans who had taught me at college.
You were in the casts of the European premiere of The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse as Iztik, the world premiere of The Magician’s Elephant at RSC as Leo Matienne and the stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express at Chichester and Bath as Michel the Conductor, can you say about your time in these shows and originating the characters?
I always love creating new roles in new shows. To work with the original creatives and have an input into the show is such an honour. These all meant so much to me in many different ways and have all been career highlights.
Having previously played Ludo/Loizeau/Remi in Romantics Anonymous, how was it returning to the musical at Bristol Old Vic, this time as Jean-René, and how was it having the show streamed live online during the coronavirus pandemic?
This show touched so many people, I think it tapped into all our insecurities and anxieties about the world, our lives and most poignantly in the show relationships and love. It had so much heart and really captured people in its gentle, funny, beautiful storytelling. I was so happy to get to play all the roles I did and actually jumping into the role of Jean-René felt so easy to me as I feel I actually have lots of similarities to his character. And to get to be able to livestream was amazing. We were meant to take it on a huge US tour, which never happened, and we were the first livestreamed show. I felt like Emma Rice’s company paved the way for many more productions to do this.
Also whilst theatres were closed due to COVID, you reprised your role of Marc Chagall in The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, which was streamed live nationally and globally from Bristol Old Vic; how was it performing in the two-hander production opposite Audrey Brisson (as Bella Chagall) and what was it like reprising your role from the original run?
This show I feel was a turning point in my career, it was where I first worked with Emma Rice, who allowed me to free up as an actor and embrace all my physical skills as an actor and my first time tackling a huge lead role. We devised the show, and having Audrey Brisson to play opposite was a match made in heaven. I feel we have very similar skill sets, which was so much fun to put lots of things in the show that we could do. We got to return to the show many times and tour it in the US and UK and then getting to film it brought the show to a much wider audience and get up close and intimate with the beauty of the show.
What are some of your favourite memories from starring as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre opposite Jemima Rooper as Audrey, and how was it being nominated for Best Actor in a Musical at the 2019 Olivier Awards?
Ever since school, I had wanted to play Seymour, so to finally get to do it was a dream. Again, reinventing an iconic show was nerve-racking, but the creative team on this were golden. Jemima Rooper, I adore. We had the best time together along with Matt Willis as Orin, Forbes Masson as Mushnik and the iconic Vicky Vox as Audrey ll. I always feel like this version deserved another life.
It was such a shock and honour to be nominated for an Olivier Award. I didn’t even know the show was eligible, let alone me. The best thing about that, for me, was the outpouring of support and love from peers in the industry and it made me feel like I was doing ok in this chosen career.
How was it being involved with the original production of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical at the Courtyard Theatre in 2010, and being part of the West End transfer at the Cambridge Theatre?
An absolute dream job. I’d been a fan of Peter Darling for years, so to get to work with him and Ellen Kane on creating lots of this choreography was awesome. Tim Minchin was and still is a hero, I think he’s a genius. Matthew Warchus is an incredible director, and I felt so lucky to work on creating this show with him and everyone at the RSC before bringing it into town. It’s the only job I’ve done that has had a life after I’ve left it, and to see all the children in the show now working as adults is incredible. It makes me feel like a proud older brother. We all were such a big family on that show, I cried so much when I left.
Over your lengthy career as a performer so far, you have worked on numerous other projects including the semi-staged concert of Camelot as Sir Lancelot, Hedda Gabler as George Tesman, Peter Pan as John Darling, the world premiere of Here to Eternity at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End as Private Clark, Singin’ in the Rain at Chichester Festival Theatre as Sid Phillips and Hello, Dolly! as Ensemble, what are some of your stand-out career highlights?
All of the above, I’m so proud of all the work I have got to do and all the people that I have got to work with. There’s so much you can take from each job and I feel like having started in the Ensemble and understudying, I have got to watch so many sensational performers and their processes and I just soak it all up and every experience is crucial to leading me to where I am now.
Having also acted on screen, can you tell us about playing Professor Rhys in Series 3 of the thriller series Keeping Faith?
It was amazing to work in Wales, I moved to London when I was 18 so lots of the industry didn’t know who I was so I kept missing out on all the Welsh work. I was a big fan of Keeping Faith as a viewer so then to be asked to be in Series 3 was amazing. I got to do scenes with old school friends and Dame Sian Phillips and Eve Myles, which was a proper pinch me moment.
Where does your love of acting come from and how did you get into it?
I’m from Port Talbot, which is the home town of Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Sheen and many more actors. Having people like those to look up to and think it was a possible career choice made it seem more achievable. My sister used to go dancing and I’d watch her in shows so that’s probably where I got my first love of it.
Do you have any favourite theatre shows to watch, and which would you like to see that you haven’t done so as yet?
My favourite musicals are Billy Elliot and West Side Story, those are both shows I’ve seen numerous times. I always love to see new shows and support new writing. There are a lot of shows on in New York at the moment that I really want to see so I’ll have to make a trip soon.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I enjoy going to the gym and unwinding at the outdoor Community Sauna Baths in Walthamstow. Love going to the cinema, coffees with friends and watching TikToks of people cleaning their houses.
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