Something Rotten!
Buell Theatre, Denver
October 17-29, 2017
BUY TICKETS
The first Broadway show of the Denver Center's 2017-18 season has arrived! Set in 1595, Something Rotten! tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom (the last name comes from A Midsummer Night's Dream), two brothers who are desperate to write their own hit play that will rival the “rock star” Shakespeare ( Adam Pascal). When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing, and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical!
It's "The Producers + Spamalot + The Book of Mormon. Squared!" (New York Magazine). With ten Tony nominations including Best Musical, Something Rotten! is "Broadway's big, fat hit!" (New York Post).
Tony nominee Rob McClure absolutely shines as Nick Bottom, the brother whose competitiveness and jealousy compels him to push a musical that never quite makes sense. Bea, Nick's wife, is played by Maggie Lakis, McClure's real life wife ... their chemistry is obvious and she is certainly his "Right Hand Man" on and off the stage!
Tony nominee Adam Pascal as Shakespeare is sensational. More Bon Jovi than Bard, Shakespeare struts around the stage in tight leather pants and codpiece, pausing in mid-monologue to allow time for everyone on stage to sing his name in unison. He revels in his fame and would rather plagiarize someone else's work than create his own (a real topic of controversy for decades, maybe even centuries).
The entire cast is outstanding! Scott Cote as Brother Jeremiah, the Puritan who protests singing, dancing, musicals, and all pleasures of the flesh elicited laughter and applause every time he appeared on stage. Blake Hammond is perfect as the Soothsayer, aptly named Nostradamus although he's not the Nostradamus of notoriety. His predictions are just slightly off the mark, which is ultimately responsible for nearly everything that follows his entrance.
Ultimately, the show is a spoof on Shakespeare and Broadway productions in general. Throughout the show, there are subtle and not-so-subtle references to everything from Mary Poppins to Les Miserables. The more familiar you are, the more often you will laugh, but you definitely do not have to be a Shakespeare aficionado to be in on the jokes.
Something Rotten! pokes fun at all things Broadway while simultaneously being exactly what we love about Broadway shows. It has romance, deception, fancy costumes, great big song-and-dance numbers with feathers and high kicks, and a lot of laughs! It was a delight from the opening song "Welcome to the Renaissance." The grand finale, when we finally get to see this incredible first-ever musical from the Bottom brothers, had me laughing till my cheeks ached.
You don't want to miss this show! Tickets start at $30 and are going quickly! Buy and print online at DenverCenter.org or call (303) 893-4100.
Disclaimer: I received two tickets to this production for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was provided. Opinions are 100% my own.
