When was the last time you recall a theatrical production featuring three standing ovations, not just the customary appreciative response from an adoring audience at the end but two more during the actual performance?
Unless you witnessed the outrageously funny, unapologetically silly debut of Something Rotten! at this year’s Stratford Festival, then the answer would likely be never.
Fortunately for gifted director/choreographer Donna Feore, a cast blessed with boundless energy and anyone associated with Karey Kirkpatrick, John O’Farrell and Wayne Kirkpatrick’s Shakesperean musical romp, a feverous opening night crowd was more than willing, without notice, to interrupt the proceedings with raucous laughter, thunderous applause and that hat trick of rising to its collective feet.
It should have come as no surprise this off-the-wall outing could well emerge as a long-running hit, most likely along the lines of the hugely successful Spamalot and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Nominated for 10 Tony awards including best musical it was the recipient of one. The tone was set with the first few notes of the brilliantly effective number Welcome to the Renaissance, every reference – some laced with a smidgen of off-colour humour – to countless musicals of this and any other era and the appearance of the vain braggart/ rock star William Shakespeare.
This time around the Bard, played to the hilt by the gloriously nasty Jeff Lillico as the magnificently mean spirited, vain and arrogant fellow, was the subject of the none-too-subtle number I Hate Shakespeare. Decked out outlandishly as more of a pop star of the day rather than a serious playwright, his over-the-top pomposity is enhanced by his sequined top, leather pants and, most noticeably his over-large and ever-present cod piece.
The storyline is simple but be reminded at all times that subtlety never surfaces in this bawdy, loud crowd-pleaser featuring two struggling playwrights the Bottom brothers struggling for just one hit, in the face of their theatrical nemesis, the overwhelmingly popular Shakespeare. Nick, played with boisterous, never-ending charm by Mark Uhre, will go to any lengths to achieve fame including pilfering the limited family funds and ultimately engineering an absurd musical tribute to eggs fittingly called Omelet – to be known forever as the first musical ever produced.
Meanwhile brother Nigel, the long-suffering poet and the more artistic of the duo is burdened with a tad too many romantic notions that never work in the real world of business and entertainment.
He’s portrayed in charming fashion and convincingly a lover of Shakespeare’s work, unlike his sibling who once fired the Bard from his company for being a bad actor. Henry Firmston fits the bill perfectly. Starr Domingue as Nick’s loving wife Bea and clearly the cleverest of the two is magnificent as a woman out of touch with the anti-feminist times in which she lives. Tackling all manner of male-oriented employment, she is glorious talking and singing about how she is ‘right man for the job.’
Add to the mix, a knock-out performance by Dan Chameroy as Nostradamus’ nephew Thomas, an engagingly nonsensical soothsayer who appears more of an antithesis to his famed uncle.
Chameroy even gets the golden opportunity to show off his Dr. Frank-N-Furter attire from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a glimpse drawing cheers from the highly amused audience as Shylock, the always reliable Steve Ross offers a delightful twist to the traits more often associated with his money-grasping lender/patron, endlessly repeating how much he loves theatre and of course making constant references to his Jewish heritage.
He is seen in an entirely different light, referred playfully as the ‘really nice Jew.’ No subject is too sacred to escape the mocking eyes of the writers, actors and director, not even religion. The well delivered shots come in the person of the Brother Jeremiah, wonderfully brought to life by the splendid Juan Chioran.
While he may be a Puritan admonishing the efforts of the Bottoms for their sinful theatrical antics and the obsessive father of Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane’s well played Portia, there is something curiously hypocritical in both his words and physical movements and gesticulations.
Engaging then disassociating herself as a patron of the Bottoms’ latest work, Khaduah Roberts Abdullah hits all the right notes as Lady Clapham with her portrayal of the flamboyant producer.
At the helm Feore keeps the rambunctious production flowing at top speed, at a seemingly record-breaking pace that never offers the appreciative audience a moment for a breath between over-the-top jokes and a host of bizarre numbers both spoofing and paying side-splitting homage to other musicals throughout the years.
“Something Rotten! is a wonderful comedy, with a great book, songs and huge dance numbers,” Feore said. It’s full of laughter, passion and heart, and we want to deliver an experience that gives the audience all of that.”
Without question the audience got that and considerably more than it bargained for in the nearly three-hour production. In addition to the energetic and incredibly physical dance numbers the award-winning Feore is known and well-respected for, just consider some of the musical numbers – even one paying homage to the plague – that dot the landscape of Something Rotten!:
- Welcome to the Renaissance
- God, I Hate Shakespeare
- A Musical
- The Black Death
- Bottom’s Gonna Be on Top
- Hard to Be the Bard
- Right Hand Man
- Something Rotten/Make an Omelette
- To Thine Own Self
While seen largely as a parody of the musical genre, there is most definitely more than a hint of admiration for countless productions that feature song and dance, in addition to a dramatic format. As a result, Something Rotten! is literally chocked full of clever references to musicals over the years from South Pacific, Anything Goes, On The Town, Dames at Sea, Hair, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, A Chorus Line, Les Misérables and more.
The bright and pulsating look, sound and feel of the production is the result of contributions from set and costume designer Michael Gianfrancesco, music director Laura Burton, lighting designer Bonnie Beecher, sound designer Haley Parcher and fight director/intimacy director Anita Nittoly.
Gearing up for more standing ovations, Something Rotten! continues as the Festival Theatre until Oct. 27.
