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| Blake Hammond and Rob McClure Photo by Jeremy Daniel |
Click here for more information on this production that runs through November 5th.
"...Something Rotten! is an incredibly hilarious, original musical set in England during the time when William Shakespeare had just become a success. It's a wild and wacky show with a tuneful score featuring several showstopping songs that humorously pay homage to the musical theatre. It also has identifiable characters and a story with a lot of sweet and heartfelt emotions. After a fairly successful Broadway run the national tour stops in Tempe for a week with a cast who deliver the humor and heart of the show in spades....the plot follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom (Rob McClure and Josh Grisetti, respectively), whose theatrical company has hit rough times as they can't compete with the continued success of Shakespeare (Adam Pascal)....So Nick visits a soothsayer, aptly named Nostradamus (Blake Hammond), and pays him to tell him what the next big thing in theater will be, thinking he will finally find success....features extremely clever lyrics and upbeat music ...and a fast-paced book...that manages to incorporate not only hilarious shout outs to just about every famous musical of the past 100 years but also a slightly serious focus on the role of women in England at that time....the fact that it's entirely original, with a plot that goes in surprising directions, and has a very tuneful score actually makes it that much more of a successful achievement. The three male leads, McClure, Grisetti and Pascal, all played these parts in the Broadway production as replacements, so they are finely adept in the requirements necessary to deliver well-rounded performances....Hammond is an absolute hoot as the soothsayer...His performance of "A Musical," which is both a love fest to and parody of musical theatre that any fan will truly appreciate, is exceptional. ...Director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw ensures the comic moments shine but doesn't shy away from the few sweet, serious and romantic moments in the plot. His choreography provides a nonstop flow of fun and varied steps, including some incredible tap sequences that the hardworking ensemble delivers superbly....In a sea of serious original musicals and shows that are adaptations from other sources, you have to hand it to the three creators of Something Rotten! for coming up with an original comedy that is extremely hilarious but also touches upon some serious topics. While there are numerous memorable comical songs in the show, the sweet "To Thine Own Self" is a satisfying reminder to always be true to yourself and not let success go to your head. You will definitely remember the adept parody and humor, but the exceptional touring cast and succinct direction will guarantee you don't forget this very important and simple piece of advice that's the key to both personal and professional success.. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)
"In a show overripe with puns, lowbrow humor, and most of all, references to just about every musical you’ve ever known, you’d think there’d be a danger of the Broadway musical comedy Something Rotten! living up to its title. Yet the packed, opening night house at ASU Gammage in Tempe lapped it up, every second of it, and with good reason. Chances are, you will too....a glittery, frothy concoction that has nothing to say to audiences other than sit back and enjoy yourselves. ...Presented as a present-day, glam-rock preening plagiarist of a playwright, Shakespeare (Adam Pascal) is the toast of London. His plays are hits, adoring crowds flock, and his competition crumbles. In this case, his principle competitors are the Bottom Brothers, Nick and Nigel (Rob McClure and Josh Grisetti), and Nick makes no bones about his lack of goodwill towards his rival....When Nick decides to take the family savings and pay a soothsayer to reveal what the next big thing in theatre is going to be, he meets Nostradamus ((Blake Hammond). ...The one thing Thomas can tell Nick with certainty is that the future of theatre will be with something called a musical. ....Something Rotten! ploughs forward with its welcomed silliness regardless, never pausing to acknowledge how awful some of the showbiz puns are; it just keeps going...." -David Appleford, Valley Screen and Stage (click here to read the complete review)
"A good Broadway spoof wouldn’t be the same without a bona-fide Broadway star, so it’s a real treat to see Adam Pascal — of “Rent” and “Aida” fame — shamelessly chewing scenery in the national tour of “Something Rotten!”...Pascal plays William Shakespeare as a preening glam-rock star...and he is glorious....Shakespeare is very much the villain here, the pinnacle of success who serves as nemesis to struggling playwright brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom. ....Basically, “Something Rotten!” is “The Producers” in the Renaissance, and if it doesn’t reach Mel Brooks heights of zaniness, it aims straight for the funny bones of hardcore theater buffs with references (of various slyness) to every classic in the song-and-dance canon....The touring cast...is excellent, but the most memorable performances are the character roles...“Something Rotten!” isn’t my favorite self-referential Broadway lovefest...But it’s still thoroughly entertaining, from the costuming to the choreography, both inventive mashups of the 16th and 21st centuries...." - Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic (click here to read the complete review)
"..there's no time to waste before declaring that SOMETHING ROTTEN! is spectacular! Pure platinum! ..the triple-barreled homage to Shakespeare (extolled as a rock idol of his time), the glories and follies of the Broadway musical, and two wannabe superstars of the Renaissance stage explodes into an exhilarating multidimensional rush of stunning proportions....the show is a splendid nonstop concatenation of music (Brian P. Kennedy), choreography (Casey Nicholaw), sets (Scott Pask), and wardrobe (Gregg Barnes). Nicholaw's flawless direction leaves no theatrical stone unturned. At the center of this whirlwind are the sterling performances of Rob McClure (on fire from start to finish) and Josh Grisetti as the aspiring playwrights Nick and Nigel Bottom, who conjure up a new concept in theatre...thanks to the counsel of soothsayer Thomas Nostradamus (gleefully portrayed by Blake Hammond)..Adam Pascal is terrific as a less than honorable Shakespeare..There's no shortage of performances to praise in this rollicking production: ...The entire ensemble is tremendous. " - Herbert Paine, Broadway World (click here to read the complete review)
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