Who Hates the Bard?

Time to Goof

What to do? What to do? That is the question…that Renaissance playwright Nick Bottom asks when his plan to produce Richard II is thwarted when his patron declines to fund it because that prolific know-it-all, Shakespeare, already has it in the works. After all, there are only so many patronage pounds to go around. Nick hates Shakespeare, and lets everyone know it right off the bat in the song aptly titled God, I Hate Shakespeare.

Nick is given one day to devise an entirely new play. He consults the soothsayer nephew of Nostradamus, Thomas, who looks into the future and sees an entirely new form of theater – the Musical! What he actually sees are bits and pieces of at least 20 famous 20th Century musicals from West Side Story to Cats to Les Miserables that Nick later incorporates into the musical he creates, Omelette. Hamlet/Omelette, get it? Yes, there are dancing eggs. Meanwhile, his nervous poet brother, Nigel, who does most of the writing and adores Shakespeare has other ideas, particularly relating to the lovely Puritan, Portia, daughter of the formidable Reverend Jeremiah. And then it gets all wild and crazy

Clever and Witty

The dialogue is clever, often a mashup of phrases and couplets from Shakespeare and music and lyrics from the musicals, as well as a bit of battle rap between Nick and Shakespeare, who, by the way, is unlike any version of Shakespeare seen on stage before. Who knew The Bard had a six-pack? And did I hear Riff Raff on a couple of occasions in the person of Dan Urtz? Hmmm.

Anyway, it is a great deal of fun and very well acted by a cast of 16, including…

Anthony Alcocer in an over-the-top performance as the rock-star Shakespeare, who in addition to that six-pack, has Elvis moves down to a science. He can bump and grind with the best of them and could not be more full of himself if he tried. Sexy Shakespeare, and with tattoos. My my.

John Kaczorowski as the beleaguered Nick, who clearly shows he cannot get a handle on himself, as his fear of failure overwhelms him and he digs himself deeper into chaos. 

Ricky Needham as the brilliant but extremely nervous Nigel, who is in danger of hurling whenever pressed. His lanky frame seems to have a life of its own. His shyness and naivete are very sweet, but he also shows some mettle in standing firm with his brother.

Brittany Bassett-Baran does a fine job as the strong-willed feminist wife of Nick, Bea. Rachael Buchanan is very sweet and can do sultry, too, as the Puritan Portia. Louis Colaiacovo is a hoot as the confused Nostradamus, who has the big first act number, A Musical, with Nick and the Ensemble. Jordan Levin is charming as a very different sort of Shylock who loves the theater. Austin Marshall is impish and has a knowing eye in the opening number, Welcome to the Renaissance. Marc Sacco looks like he is really enjoying playing the repressed Jeremiah, who slyly makes it clear S&M might be to his liking and hopes it is to yours, too.

The choreography by Kristy E. Cavanagh is top notch. There is tap dancing, and what musical comedy would be worth its salt without it? Costumes by Kari Drozd range from beggar’s rags to Puritan black to Broadway glitz. Music Director Philip Farugia and his musicians are excellent and never overwhelm the singers. This madness is directed with a sure hand by Chris Kelly.

A Ticket to Unwind

While Something Rotten! may not be the pinnacle of hilarity in musical comedy theater, it is very clever, funny, and just the ticket to unwind from whatever you need to unwind from.

MusicalFare’s production hits all the right notes in this zany tale that never takes itself seriously.