 |
| Something Rotten! |
There are a handful of things lost to a contemporary understanding of William Shakespeare. Ever since he became an essential part of academia, he has been considered the definition of highbrow, full of twisted wordplay and symbolism that are associated with seriousness. Even film adaptations by Laurence Olivier would have you believe that Shakespeare is stuffy. It's true that he wrote a drama or two in his time, but what most don't consider without taking time to process his work is that he was, more importantly, a populous entertainer. He told as many tragedies as he did innuendos, and yet the latter is often ignored to general audiences these days in part because the parlance of the day doesn't fully translate either.
That is what makes the musical Something Rotten! feel important. The show is as critical of Shakespeare as it is in debt to his work. To watch the production that Musical Theater West put on is to see the various subtle ways that theater has been impacted by his work. Without being a direct adaptation of anything, Something Rotten! essentially recreates what it would feel like to watch one of his plays had he lived in the 21st century. It's there in every juvenile gag, the constant wordplay, and the deconstruction of theater that rewards audiences who know a thing or two about old Broadway. It's as dumb as it is smart. Even then, it has the ethos of Shakespeare in its DNA and, for all its faults, proves that what makes The Bard a lasting figure 400 years later wasn't so much how clever he was, but how entertaining it all wound up being.
Before the show even starts, there's a sense that writers Karey Kirkpatrick & John O'Farrell wants the audience to be challenged by the show to come. The show centers around The Bottom Brothers: Nick and Nigel. To an average attendee, this will be a detail overlooked. Were The Bottom Brothers a real competitor of Shakespeare, performing down the road from The Globe? Not quite. In fact, those who have seen A Midsummer Night's Dream will at least know Nick as a comedic folly... created by Shakespeare. It would be excessive to point it out within the show's text, but Kirkpatrick & O'Farrell are smart enough to leave some challenges for the audience. Nigel, the original character, adores Shakespeare while Nick doesn't. This creates some interesting rifts about the creator and man symbolism that could be read into the subtext.
This is only part of the dense language packed into the supporting cast of Something Rotten!. It would be foolish to get into it all here. However, the show does an effective job of mixing surface-level references to characters like Shylock and Falstaff in with more subtle references to the various plays. To say it works on every level would be an understatement. It goes so far as to fuel arena rock-style singalongs as Shakespeare belts his own sonnets in song (and later tap dances in an enjoyably silly battle of words). By doing this, it already engages the audience with the show in a way not unlike the best adaptations of Shakespeare. It's as much about the main story as piecing together subtle references and jabs that were topical at the time. It manages to be comedic and dramatic within the same piece, never allowing The Bottom Brothers' struggle to be marginalized.
It helps that the show is lead by two great performances in Nick (Eric Petersen) and Nigel (Beau Brians), who served as this story's odd couple. Where Nigel is the optimistic poet who could rival Shakespeare with the right material, Nick is the desperate man trying to find an easy way out after his Richard II production is closed... for opening at the same time as Shakespeare's version. It's the frustration of the artist that gives the story endearment. Who doesn't want to break free of somebody's else's shadow, especially in a time where history has regaled all theater to one man? It's sad and in a way embraces the starving artist archetype both as s figure of optimism (Nigel) and cynicism (Nick). Their fights along the way make sense given that Shakespeare (Grasan Kingsberry) comes across as a rock star so popular that he doesn't so much enter a scene as he bursts on with a Phantom of the Opera-style theme song. Even the self-portrait that lines his Playboy Mansion-style hangout looks like it's better than you.
With all of this said, the desperation of The Bottom Brothers to escape Shakespeare's shadow comes through in a scene that has become the show's centerpiece. "A Musical" is a towering, 10-minute number in which absentminded soothsayer Nostradamus (Davis Gaines) looks into the future and comes through with two pieces of information: Shakespeare's next big show is "Omelete," and that musicals are all the rage. He's not wrong, but this is a scene that embodies everything great and bad about Something Rotten! in such interlocked fashion. The idea of a song deconstructing what a musical is isn't the worst idea for a show that seeks to pull back the mystique of Shakespeare. However, it comes at a price. Before the show, the audience was informed that there were 82 musical references within the show. Unlike references to Shakespeare and many forgotten poets, the choice to do something this excessive takes away from the already hilarious show.
The musical number itself is great. Songwriters Wayne & Karey Kirkpatrick know how to fill any verse with wit. By the end, it's the perfect description of why musicals are such a beloved art form. However, by cramming in 82 references (both in lyrics and visual cues), it feels like something is lost. Suddenly it's not so much about enjoying the show so much as trying to find everything that comes through at a breakneck speed. Everyone is guaranteed to miss a few on their first time, but suddenly it's impossible to enjoy the next minute because of how closely they're analyzing the last. Also, it takes away from the story because if you get the reference, it has nothing to do with Something Rotten!'s quality but your affection for theater history. If you don't get it, you're left with a mid-song pause of a stage that looks funny, but not for any clear reason. Yes, it's fun to observe how dumb an idea Cats was, but that's reminding you more of Cats than anything relevant to the plot. Maybe if this was cut down by a quarter it wouldn't feel as distracting, but as it is it creates a sensory overload that is more of a fun game of "Name That Show!" than anything, as the show would suggest often, progresses the story. This isn't to say that the idea is bad or derails the show, but it's more of a fun parlor game you play during your downtime than to fit into an already rich narrative.
The music as a whole is a lot of fun and plays with how Shakespeare would sound in a contemporary setting. Sure, this isn't the first musical to address him (Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story), but it feels like the first to challenge him for a modern sensibility. By making The Bottom Brothers have a fight over putting on a musical called Omelettes while having commentary on the weird gender politics of the 16th century and Shakespeare in a comical disguise, it makes one understand what Shakespeare's plays were trying to achieve. It even shows in "Making an Omelette," which takes the mundane directions to make a breakfast meal and turns it into a song-and-dance routine. Everything was used as inspiration here, and it's consistently fun (something special for Musical Theater West attendees will be to see Gaines recall briefly his role in The Phantom of the Opera). While it has some phallic humor, it's only one part of the bigger puzzle. It's all interwoven between petty fights and existentialism of fact and fiction, as Shakespeare was real but a fraction of the supporting cast were people he created. For as dumb as some jokes end up being, they hide depth and inspiration to something smarter than it lets on.
The show is without a doubt a miracle. Not only is the story able to deftly walk a self-referential line that sometimes grows tedious, but it does so with a spectacle that Shakespeare couldn't afford. The set designs are constantly challenging, filled with bright and vivid designs. The costumes are all dazzlingly color-coded to the point that dancers in puritan gowns all are distinguishable from each other. Even the use of dance is a lot of fun, with many elaborate routines in "A Musical" becoming their own sideshow. Even the consistent use of tap dancing is impressive, managing to mix in a plot with a dance technique that is crucial to the story. It's all silly, but its big theatrics are a big reminder of why we go to the theater in the first place. Celebrating one of the most acclaimed dramatists in history only brings home the idea of why these artists deserve to be recognized. They're just so much fun.
Something Rotten! has a good heart, even if it seeks to do too much at times with its ambition. With that said, it's a loving ode to the theater that never lets up. It's funny and is bound to tell one joke that will make you laugh. The catchy music is dazzling with the musical numbers filling the stage with such vivid life. It's a show that is deceptively simple, managing to hide a lot of complex emotions within the simple innuendos that have never gone out of style. Most of all, this is one of the few times that Shakespeare has been updated in a way that is not just paying lip service, but recreating the feeling of discovery that came with his work. It doesn't always work, but it's easy to understand why he remains a perceived genius all these centuries later.
It helps that the show is lead by two great performances in Nick (Eric Petersen) and Nigel (Beau Brians), who served as this story's odd couple. Where Nigel is the optimistic poet who could rival Shakespeare with the right material, Nick is the desperate man trying to find an easy way out after his Richard II production is closed... for opening at the same time as Shakespeare's version. It's the frustration of the artist that gives the story endearment. Who doesn't want to break free of somebody's else's shadow, especially in a time where history has regaled all theater to one man? It's sad and in a way embraces the starving artist archetype both as s figure of optimism (Nigel) and cynicism (Nick). Their fights along the way make sense given that Shakespeare (Grasan Kingsberry) comes across as a rock star so popular that he doesn't so much enter a scene as he bursts on with a Phantom of the Opera-style theme song. Even the self-portrait that lines his Playboy Mansion-style hangout looks like it's better than you.
With all of this said, the desperation of The Bottom Brothers to escape Shakespeare's shadow comes through in a scene that has become the show's centerpiece. "A Musical" is a towering, 10-minute number in which absentminded soothsayer Nostradamus (Davis Gaines) looks into the future and comes through with two pieces of information: Shakespeare's next big show is "Omelete," and that musicals are all the rage. He's not wrong, but this is a scene that embodies everything great and bad about Something Rotten! in such interlocked fashion. The idea of a song deconstructing what a musical is isn't the worst idea for a show that seeks to pull back the mystique of Shakespeare. However, it comes at a price. Before the show, the audience was informed that there were 82 musical references within the show. Unlike references to Shakespeare and many forgotten poets, the choice to do something this excessive takes away from the already hilarious show.
The musical number itself is great. Songwriters Wayne & Karey Kirkpatrick know how to fill any verse with wit. By the end, it's the perfect description of why musicals are such a beloved art form. However, by cramming in 82 references (both in lyrics and visual cues), it feels like something is lost. Suddenly it's not so much about enjoying the show so much as trying to find everything that comes through at a breakneck speed. Everyone is guaranteed to miss a few on their first time, but suddenly it's impossible to enjoy the next minute because of how closely they're analyzing the last. Also, it takes away from the story because if you get the reference, it has nothing to do with Something Rotten!'s quality but your affection for theater history. If you don't get it, you're left with a mid-song pause of a stage that looks funny, but not for any clear reason. Yes, it's fun to observe how dumb an idea Cats was, but that's reminding you more of Cats than anything relevant to the plot. Maybe if this was cut down by a quarter it wouldn't feel as distracting, but as it is it creates a sensory overload that is more of a fun game of "Name That Show!" than anything, as the show would suggest often, progresses the story. This isn't to say that the idea is bad or derails the show, but it's more of a fun parlor game you play during your downtime than to fit into an already rich narrative.
The music as a whole is a lot of fun and plays with how Shakespeare would sound in a contemporary setting. Sure, this isn't the first musical to address him (Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story), but it feels like the first to challenge him for a modern sensibility. By making The Bottom Brothers have a fight over putting on a musical called Omelettes while having commentary on the weird gender politics of the 16th century and Shakespeare in a comical disguise, it makes one understand what Shakespeare's plays were trying to achieve. It even shows in "Making an Omelette," which takes the mundane directions to make a breakfast meal and turns it into a song-and-dance routine. Everything was used as inspiration here, and it's consistently fun (something special for Musical Theater West attendees will be to see Gaines recall briefly his role in The Phantom of the Opera). While it has some phallic humor, it's only one part of the bigger puzzle. It's all interwoven between petty fights and existentialism of fact and fiction, as Shakespeare was real but a fraction of the supporting cast were people he created. For as dumb as some jokes end up being, they hide depth and inspiration to something smarter than it lets on.
The show is without a doubt a miracle. Not only is the story able to deftly walk a self-referential line that sometimes grows tedious, but it does so with a spectacle that Shakespeare couldn't afford. The set designs are constantly challenging, filled with bright and vivid designs. The costumes are all dazzlingly color-coded to the point that dancers in puritan gowns all are distinguishable from each other. Even the use of dance is a lot of fun, with many elaborate routines in "A Musical" becoming their own sideshow. Even the consistent use of tap dancing is impressive, managing to mix in a plot with a dance technique that is crucial to the story. It's all silly, but its big theatrics are a big reminder of why we go to the theater in the first place. Celebrating one of the most acclaimed dramatists in history only brings home the idea of why these artists deserve to be recognized. They're just so much fun.
Something Rotten! has a good heart, even if it seeks to do too much at times with its ambition. With that said, it's a loving ode to the theater that never lets up. It's funny and is bound to tell one joke that will make you laugh. The catchy music is dazzling with the musical numbers filling the stage with such vivid life. It's a show that is deceptively simple, managing to hide a lot of complex emotions within the simple innuendos that have never gone out of style. Most of all, this is one of the few times that Shakespeare has been updated in a way that is not just paying lip service, but recreating the feeling of discovery that came with his work. It doesn't always work, but it's easy to understand why he remains a perceived genius all these centuries later.
Comments
Post a Comment