Review: Raleigh Little Theatre's SOMETHING ROTTEN!

Set in the year 1595, Something Rotten! follows Nick & Nigel Bottom, two playwriting brothers who struggle to find success in the theatre as they compete with the wild popularity of their contemporary, William Shakespeare. As a way of competing, they both decided to create the world's first musical. When I reviewed the national tour of this show during its stop at DPAC in April of 2017, I said “This is a musical that I think is going to be very popular with schools, community, and regional theatres as soon as it becomes available for licensing.”

Here we are, Something Rotten! Is now being produced by schools and theatre companies all over the world. Under Susannah Hough’s direction, Raleigh Little Theatre’s production feels perfect in a way. The show itself involves uniting a community to put on a show. That’s what RLT does best. Everyone in the cast and crew are locals of the Triangle area. They all prove to be incredibly talented. The actors themselves also prove to be skillful at dancing to Freddie-Lee Heath’s showstopping choreography.

Erik Agle gives a winning performance as Nick Bottom, the arrogant playwright who strives to rival Shakespeare. Michael Sheehy is perfectly sincere as his younger brother, Nigel Bottom. As The Bard himself, Brian Westbrook is quite excellent, portraying William Shakespeare as over the top with a huge ego. David Henderson is very memorable as Nostradamus, the soothsayer Nick Bottom seeks for help in crafting the world’s first musical. Abby Savage is a powerhouse as Nick’s wife, Bea. Not just vocally in her big solo number, ‘Right Hand Man,’ but also as a comedic highlight. Shelby Barros is so bubbly as Portia, a Puritan woman who falls in love with Nigel.

Before the performance began, the audience was treated to instrumental versions of songs from classic musicals, several of which are referenced in Something Rotten!. If you ask me, that was a great way of setting the stage for what’s to come. All the references are still clever and funny, just like the show itself. This production proves that there really is “nothing as amazing as a musical.”

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