Something Rotten! In Concert
Since its Broadway premiere in 2015, I have often wondered why the West End has not been graced with Something Rotten. Its satirical take on Elizabethan theatre and the soon-to-be resurgence of musicals make this tailor-made for a London audience. Therefore, I felt that of all the concerts that have been staged recently, this had the most to live up to.
From the creative team of Mrs. Doubtfire (John O’Farrell, Wayne, and Karey Kilpatrick), Something Rotten follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who are struggling to write a hit play while living in the shadows of William Shakespeare, a former actor of Nick’s troupe who was advised to leave and "start writing." Out of desperation, Nick hires a soothsayer to look into the future and discover Shakespeare’s greatest play. After foreshadowing that musicals will become the most popular form of art in the future, the brothers attempt to write Omelette: The Musical, a farce that Franz Liebkind from The Producers would have thrown in the bin.
The action starts with "Welcome to the Renaissance," a toe-tapping opener that showcases the slick ensemble work, masterfully choreographed by Tim Jackson. Luckily, this is continued in a concert production which, albeit chaotic, is hugely entertaining and could well set the stage for the West End’s next crowd-pleasing hit.
From a performance point of view, there were plenty of highlights. Guys and Dolls' Marisha Wallace once again provides her excellent and natural comic timing, as well as depth to what could otherwise be classed as a one-dimensional role. Gary Wilmot is simply hilarious as the soothsayer Nostradamus, who gets to lead the show's big company number, "A Musical." He has fun with the knowing tone of the show, and his audience rapport is on point.
However, I must give special praise to the standout performance of the night, which came in the form of Richard Fleeshman as William Shakespeare. Taking on a role originated by Christian Borle is no easy task, but Fleeshman rises to the challenge with a performance filled with wit, charm, and excellent vocals. His take on Shakespeare has the rock and roll swagger of the Rolling Stones and the buffoonish quality of Jack Sparrow. This was perfectly pitched, and if he stays in the role longer, I predict awards success in the not-too-distant future!
Jason Manford can also be seen as Nick Bottom. Manford comes from the world of stand up comedy and TV, aswell as adding a 12 year musical theatre career as another string to his bow, having been seen most recently as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. Manford brings an inherent likability, and had the audience in the palm of his hands with his comedic antics.
Overall, there was much fun to be had at Something Rotten. A genuinely entertaining musical comedy that sits comfortably alongside Spamalot but does not reach the heights of The Producers or The Book of Mormon. Concert productions have been hit and miss recently, plagued with technical issues and the lack of rehearsals; however, I felt these problems were avoided here. Based on the audience's goodwill towards the show, I suspect it won't be long until we are graced with a full-scale production.
This show was reviewed on the 5th August 2024 at Theatre Royal Drury Lane where it runs until the 6th August 2024. Last few tickets available here: Something Rotten - In Concert Tickets | Theatre Royal Drury Lane (lwtheatres.co.uk)
Review written by Alex Farley
AD/Gifted
Photo credit: Pamela Raith
Check out other reviews from Curtain Call Reviews and get in touch to have our reviewers head to your show.
We need your consent to load the translations
We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.