“God, I hate Shakespeare!” How many English teachers have heard that cry over the years?
In Broadway’s “Something Rotten” Nick Bottom belts out the statement in song because William Shakespeare is the rock star of his age, leaving no oxygen for Nick and his brother Nigel to put on their plays. Though Nigel has great heartfelt ideas for a play, Nick is desperate to know what “The Bard” will do next. He consults a soothsayer, Nostradamus (not that Nostradamus, it is his nephew Thomas) to look into the future and tell him what plays will be like.
In a number that brings down the house, Nostradamus tells us that the future is in musicals where people break out into song for no reason, which everyone finds ridiculous. They have a great time poking fun at the genre and its famous examples. When Nostradamus tries to peer into the future for Shakespeare’s next great work, he gets a little fuzzy. Instead of “Hamlet” and its story of a Danish prince, Nostradamus predicts that Shakespeare’s next great work will be “Omelette” involving a Danish and ham.
As if putting on a new musical about a breakfast wasn’t enough trouble, the Puritans are not happy with the already scandalous plays adding corrupting music to the theater. Nigel is falling in love with Portia, the Puritan minister’s daughter. Nigel tries not to get ahead of himself while he pursues Portia and works to keep his brother Nick from putting on the ridiculous “Omelette.
“Something Rotten” is well paced with laughs throughout. The songs are energetic, giving Nick Bottom and Shakespeare the opportunity to show off their athletic dancing ability and physical acting talents. There are knowing references to high and low culture with riffs on the Bard and numerous Broadway shows. “Something Rotten” will stoop as low as required to get the audience laughing and it works as the audience was cracking up throughout the show with the fast and furious jokes.
“Something Rotten” has 10 Tony nominations including Best Musical. The hilarious number, “A Musical” will be shown live on June 7 at the Tony Awards and will be a great draw for the show. For those in Presque Isle, there is an additional draw as Nigel Bottom is played by 1987 PIHS graduate John Cariani, a past Tony nominee and successful playwright of “Almost Maine” and “Last Gas”.
In the New York Times (that other leading newspaper that reviews Broadway shows) John was listed as a lead actor that should have been nominated for his performance. John shows off his acting, comedic timing and the lovable goofiness that those that know him will remember well. John gave the Star-Herald exclusive access to him and the backstage crew before and after the sold-out performance and it was evident that the staff and crew adore John. The public loves him too as people stop him repeatedly on Times Square to say “hello” and comment on their connection to John or his prior shows. An hour after the close of “Something Rotten”, fans were still waiting outside the theater door for John’s autograph. John is such a giving person that he seemed to give his time to one and all.
Backstage you see how an intricate and expensive Broadway show gets crammed into the St. James Theater. The stage was extended out over the orchestra to bring the show closer to the audience. As a result, each member of the orchestra is enclosed in a small space. There is no room behind the set so actors cannot travel behind it. They go under the stage or have assistants on the ready to help with costume and wig changes.
For the staging of “The Omelette” the actors have only eight seconds for a comedic costume change. The actors and actresses have numerous hair changes throughout the show with 70-plus wigs worth over half a million dollars. The hair designers are the only staff allowed to touch or adjust the wigs.
Walking under the stage, the computer server farms are next to the costumes which are right beside the organ that doesn’t fit with the orchestra. Gated off pulleys and winches are everywhere to operate the sophisticated set in the flawless way that makes it look easy from your seat. Despite the lack of space in the St. James Theater, John Cariani has his own large dressing room suitable for the lead actor that he is. It is not known whether he gets the staff to take out the green M&M’s for him each day. It’s probably a matter of time.
There is nothing like a funny live comedy and “Something Rotten” fits the bill for making the audience laugh and feel a part of a great experience. Get those tickets right away before the Tony Awards blast open the floodgates.
Frank Bemis attended Presque Isle High School with John Cariani, graduating a year before John. Frank is an attorney at Bemis & Rossignol, LLC, in Presque Isle.
