Last evening I went to Detroit’s Fisher Theater to see the show Something Rotten!. Nick Bottom and his brother Nigel have a theater troupe in 1590s London. They’re struggling to survive because Will Shakespeare’s plays are the best in town. And Nick gleefully tells us how much he hates Shakespeare. To stave of Shylock, his creditor, Nick visits Nostradamus. He peers into the future and concludes the best thing to happen in theater will be the musical. In a wonderful and funny song-and-dance Nostradamus shows Nick what a musical is. But what story should this musical be wrapped around? Nick asks Nostradamus to see in the future for Shakespeare’s most famous play. Nostradamus does and comes up with … Omelette. With a side of Danish.
Oh, yeah, this is a spoof and love letter to the musical. Throughout the show there are lots of one-line references to famous musicals and Shakespeare plays, to the delight of the audience. Will Shakespeare is there as a glam rock star, complete with leather pants and backup dancers.
Nigel Bottom, the actual wordsmith of the team, falls in love with Portia, daughter of a Puritan who thinks theater is evil. She convinces Nigel to thine own self be true.
The singing(though perhaps a bit overmiked) and large amount of dancing were first rate. Quite a fun evening!
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