Welcome to the Renaissance!
Making its UK debut this August, Something Rotten! is a hilarious mash-up of sixteenth century Shakespeare and twenty-first century musical theatre that delighted Broadway audiences for nearly two years.
The show stars Jason Manford as Nick Bottom, Gary Wilmot (Anything Goes, Wicked) as Nostradamus, Richard Fleeshman (Company, Urinetown) as Shakespeare, Marisha Wallace (Guys & Dolls, Oklahoma!) as Bea, Evelyn Hoskins (Waitress, Spring Awakening) as Portia, Cassius Hackforth (For Tonight, From Here to Eternity) as Nigel Bottom, Steve Furst (Oliver!, Matilda, Little Britain) as Shylock, Ashley Samuels (Hairspray, The Book Of Mormon) as Troubadour, Jenna Boyd (Come From Away, The Wind in the Willows) as Lady Croydon and Cameron Blakely (Disney’s Newsies, Mrs Doubtfire) as Brother Jeremiah.
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.
Created by the team behind Mrs Doubtfire (Grammy Award-winning songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick, and Hollywood screenwriters Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell), Something Rotten! was adored by audience members and critics alike on Broadway, receiving several Best Musical nominations, 10 Tony Award nominations and hailed by Time Out New York as “the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years”.
With its hit score performed by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra in full swing, this outrageous and hysterical show plays at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for three performances only.
