Podcasts · Unholy: Two Jews on the News
Andy Nyman on saying "F-You" to Hitler on stage
· 45 min · Episode 319
Episode Andy Nyman on saying "F-You" to Hitler on stage
It's the end of summer, and Yonit and Jonathan are taking a break from the news with a nugget of pure Jewish joy. Andy Nyman — the West End actor, writer, director and magician currently starring as Max Bialystock in The Producers, and previously as an acclaimed Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof — joins the show for an Unholy Conversation. Why does Mel Brooks' nearly-60-year-old joke about Hitler still land? What makes Max Bialystock - who could have been Tevye’s grandson - so beloved, even in his desperation? And is the Broadway musical, as a form, secretly a Jewish one? Andy answers the question by giving a rare performance of a musical classic — rendered in Yiddish. You won’t want to miss it.
In this episode:
The Genius of Mel Brooks: How The Producers transforms satire into an act of healing and an uncompromising "fuck you" to history.
From Tevye to Bialystock: Exploring the thread connecting the working-class milkman of Anatevka to the scheming, desperate, yet deeply human Broadway hustler.
Art in Times of Darkness: A rare behind-the-scenes look at performing comedic Jewish art—and deciding to keep a daring scene in the show—in the wake of global tragedy.
Exclusive Live Performances: Andy delivers three bespoke, stripped-back performances directly in the studio:
"We Can Do It" (The Producers)
"If I Were a Rich Man" (Fiddler on the Roof)
A haunting, tender Yiddish translation of "Hushabye Mountain" (originally by the Sherman Brothers).
00:06 Introduction to Unholy Conversations
00:09 Introduction to Andy Nyman
01:57 The Enduring Appeal of The Producers
05:50 Mel Brooks and Jewish Healing through Humor
08:29 Defiance in Comedy: Pulling Down Pants
09:59 Exploring Max Bialystok's Character
17:30 Max Bialystok and Tevye: A Generational Connection
18:23 The Complexity of Tevye
22:58 The Essence of Fiddler on the Roof
30:44 The Current Jewish Climate
35:40 The Jewish Influence in Musical Theatre
42:32 A Yiddish Lullaby: Bridging Cultures
44:24 The Importance of Representation
44:25 Personal Connections and Impact
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