Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
Cast: Jason Manford, Gary Wilmot, Richard Fleeshman, Marisha Wallace, Evelyn Hoskins, Steve Furst, Ashley Samuels, Cassius Hackforth, Cameron Blakely and Jenna Boyd
It’s the 1590s and brothers Nigel and Nick Bottom are tired of being stuck in the shadow of Shakespeare, the Renaissance Rockstar, and are desperate to beat the Bard once and for all. But how? With the help of a prophet, the lesser-known Nostradamus, the brothers set about writing the world’s first musical – a ridiculous notion where the actors just burst into song. Out of nowhere! And they dance too. For no reason! Absurd.
After a staggering Broadway run of over 700 shows the West End has been waiting for the UK debut of Something Rotten! for what seems like an eternity, and that long-awaited time is now. Hosting three concert performances at London's Theatre Royal Drury lane, accompanied by a 28-piece orchestra, the audience for the first performance were bedazzled (Shakespeare invented that word, and the Bard reminds you of his brilliance throughout the evening).
Despite being a staged concert, nothing seemed to be spared for the costumes designed by Rebecca Brower and the choreography by Tim Jackson and Claira Vaughan. It's quite the spectacle, so I can only imagine just how spectacular it can be if given the staged West End run it deserves.
The story is set in the late 1500's and follows the journeys of a trio of playwrights. Brothers Nigel and Nick Bottom, and the Bard himself, William Shakespeare. With Shakespeare shooting to fame with his early works, Nick is desperate to catch a break and seeks out a soothsayer named Nostradamus to give him a glimpse into what the future could look like for theatre. Information gets slightly lost along the way and instead of Hamlet, we're met with Omelette. A musical about eggs. Yes, really. It's around this time that the show explodes into the most glorious array of chaos.
I found the book, music and lyrics to be the perfect blend of both British and American humour, making it palatable for both sides of the pond. And with lyrics such as, "don't be a penis, the man is a genius", it's not difficult to see why this production is loved by so many. It's ridiculously brilliant, in the very best way. As well as this, it's a theatre lover's dream. The entire piece is littered with musical theatre references throughout; quite simply a feast for frequent theatregoers. And while you don't need to have previous knowledge of theatre, it'll certainly add an additional layer of enjoyment to what is already a rip-roaring good time.
While every single person onstage is overflowing with talent, the scene-stealer of the evening is Richard Fleeshman as Shakespeare (and I would have expected no different). With an oversized ego...and codpiece, Fleeshman bursts onto the stage with all the campness, flair and arrogance you'd expect - but it's simply impossible not to fall in love with how outlandish his take on the Bard is; especially when he looks like he's having the time of his life doing so. In fact, his iteration of the role may just be my favourite musical theatre of all time. He truly was that good.
Gary Wilmot as the befuddled Nostradamus is equally hilarious and Wilmot appears to be having the time of his life on the stage, which is wonderful to see. As always, Marisha Wallace wows with her vocal ability and her capability to entice an audience.
Standout numbers of the show include "A Musical" and "Hard to Be the Bard". However, "Something Rotten/Make an Omelette" makes for chaos similar to that of "Joseph Smith American Moses" in Book of Mormon in that you have absolutely no idea what's going on, or how it can possibly get funnier - but it does. And ironically, the song climaxes with Elder Price onstage, along with other notable musical theatre favourites.
It's a love letter to theatre that is nothing like the West End has ever seen. It's witty, nonsensical at times, but at its heart, outrageously funny. Everything about it is over the top and fabulous, but that's theatre, darlings. In fact, I've never laughed at a show like I did last night. And as for Wilmot's surprise when he looked into the future and marvels, "how much for a glass of wine?". Well mine was £13...and I was equally as shocked as you.
You can find out more about this production of Something Rotten! In Concert, here.
**photo credit: Pamela Raith**
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