Stage Review: ‘Something Rotten’ Sparkles at the Playhouse
By J.E. Ballantyne Jr.
William Shakespeare has never been so fun and exhilarating as it was Friday night at the opening of “Something Rotten” at the Youngstown Playhouse.
The musical tale of the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, as they strive to compete with the infamous William Shakespeare in 1595 South London, brought rousing laughs and applause from an appreciative audience on the opening night of the Playhouse’s 100th season.
This show is a wiz-bang from start to finish. From the catchy opening number, “Welcome to the Renaissance,” right to the final curtain, the musical numbers keep getting better and better.
The story revolves around Nick and Nigel, fledgling playwrights in the shadow of “The Bard,” who have to come up with a new idea to get the jump on Shakespeare and grab some of his success.
That “idea,” turns out to be the theatrical innovation of the future, according to a soothsayer: “the musical” (with an appropriate flash of the hand). And with this great new idea, Nick and Nigel launch off to write a biggy.
Al McKinnon is a surge of energy and likability as Nick Bottom. Nick isn’t the most realistic of the two brothers but he has flash and grandeur in his sights. McKinnon sells this character to the hilt. His timing, his acting, his comedic ability, and his singing voice, all combine to make Nick the hit of an already talented cast.
Musically, he is in top form in “God, I Hate Shakespeare,” “Bottom’s Gonna Be On Top,” and “A Musical.” His energy is endless and you can’t help but be caught up in his enthusiasm.
Brother Nigel, played by Zavier Rubante, is the more logical, down to earth of the two brothers. Nigel is the anchor of the two and Rubante gives this character some real heart. He may not get as much “spotlight” time as McKinnon but he makes up for it by creating a real character that the audience can identify with. His character is also written with a little more depth than Nick and Rubante brings all of that out.
One of the more comedic roles in this piece is soothsayer Thomas Nostradamus, played by Tyler Stouffer. As a soothsayer, he overplays this character to the hilt and gets every laugh out of it that he can squeeze. One of his strongest moments is “A Musical.” His broad portrayal played to the audience well and they didn’t miss a thing he was dishing out.
Terry Shears turns in another class performance as Shylock the Jew. Nick owes money to Shylock but Shylock offers to cancel the debt if Nick makes him a backer in his next play. As Shylock states, “he loves the theater,” and Shears takes advantage of every comedy moment he is given.
Rachel Conrad turns in a gentle and sweet performance as Portia, the love interest that enters Nigel’s life. She has several good musical moments including a duet with Nigel in “I Love the Way.”
Liam Burk gets the job of giving the audience a look at “The Bard,” himself, William Shakespeare. And it is not what you would think. He plays an upbeat contemporary rockstar version of the great playwright ,which adds more laughs and a breath of fresh air.
Some other notable performances were Rachel Franek as Bea Bottom, David Leach as Lord Clapham, and Kaleb Lovewell as Brother Jeremiah.
The script by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick is funny, fast and full of references to a ton of musicals; best keep a scorecard. It even gives due time to the theory that someone else wrote some of Shakespeare’s plays. Music and lyrics by Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick are some of the most clever and winning musical numbers you will find in a musical anywhere.
The first act is actually stronger musically than Act II but throughout, the score and lyrics are catchy and full of fun and attention grabbing references to shows of old.
I mentioned earlier that “Something Rotten” has a talented cast; well that is actually an understatement. This cast doesn’t have a weak link. Lack of mic coverage in Act I, however, left some minor character lines inaudible but their energy was still there. The addition of the little kids, who were having a great time, added a lot of fun to certain scenes.
Director Emma Wason has not only assembled a fantastic cast but has directed a phenomenal production. Her creativity, her pacing and her overall vision has given this show a Grade A rating.
Scenic Design by Kenzie James served the show well. With a static set piece up stage it was supplemented by left and right pieces that glided in and out. Lighting design by Leslie Brown added color and emphasis where it was needed. Choreographer Abbie Stewart did a great job with her dancers of all ages. Costume Coordinators Jenny Long and Amy Burd are to be commended for stellar work in costuming this large cast and doing it well.
Shakespeare can be dry and uninteresting to many people. Not in this show. You won’t find your typical Shakespeare in this piece. Once the word gets out on “Something Rotten,” tickets will be hard to come by – call the Playhouse now so you don’t miss it!!
Something Rotten continues September 21, 27, 28 at 7:30 pm September 22, 29 at 2:30 pm
Pictured at top: Al McKinnon, Rachel Franek and Zavier Rubante in a scene from The Youngstown Playhouse’s production of “Something Rotten.”
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