The curtain rises with a fanfare at Something Rotten. Welcome to the Renaissance! Not the Renaissance you know from history books, but one full of people breaking it down to rock and gospel style music and peppered with modern slang. I mean, it is the rebirth. The time for something newer, more modern. A lot of money gets poured into the arts now, and the biggest name in the arts is Shakespeare (Ryan Vanderboom), widely adored.

Nick Bottom (David Hibbard) despises Shakespeare. He sings a whole number about every reason he hates Shakespeare. It’s hard to blame him. His acting troupe has been suffering to write and perform a profitable play, since William “The Bard” Shakespeare has been attracting all the crowds. Not to mention Shakespeare used to be a part of Nick’s struggling acting troupe before Nick fired him. Also, Nick’s awkward poet and younger brother Nigel (John Cariani) adores Shakespeare’s work, as if Nick needed more insult to injury. And don’t forget the town’s Puritans, bent on getting their “hedonistic” theatre productions shut down.

When their patronage is threatened and with a debt collector knocking down the Bottom Brothers’ door, they need a new idea. Fast. What does one do when the whole world seems to be against you? Why, make a musical, of course. Nick’s not entirely sure what a musical is, but the Soothsayer he visited assures him they’re the hit of the future. But is a musical too radical for the Renaissance crowd?

Something Rotten is the most unique depiction of the Renaissance. Where else can you see Shakespeare behave like a British pop-rock star, complete wild outfit, attitude and fangirls? People swoon at his name and hang on his every word, and the playwright just eats it up. The Shakespeare persona is hilarious, like a mix of Austin Powers, David Bowie, and every stereotypical rich rockstar.

The production aims to make fun of itself and its own medium of musicals, so it takes absolute advantage of every trope it can. Something Rotten is incredibly self aware, making fun of broadway prices and productions, and taking many shots at Shakespeare.

All of the jabs are made in good fun, and the show makes fun of itself plenty. The show is almost tailor-made for a Shakespeare and theatre fan. They hit everything they can, almost like a big musical fan inside joke. Puppets from Avenue Q make an appearance. Les Miserables gets a share of their teasing, as well as Annie, Guys and Dolls, Cats, The Sound of Music and so many more. It’s almost like a nod to the fans in the audience, and it’s fun to be a part of.

The story is made more for comedy than drama. The songs are snappy and catchy, nearly all of them being more upbeat and excited. I fell asleep with the songs stuck in my head and woke up with them still going. While the jokes stand out more than the story sometimes, there is a more defined story than you see in some comedies.

The show is rather detailed for a comedy, which is an absolute treat. There’s depth there, and it only makes it more funny and investing. The brothers have a backstory given quickly and succinctly that defines and deepens their relationship, and their growth over time is evident but not forced. Character development, in my opinion, is actually more strong for Nigel. Nick’s felt a little weaker but still well written, despite a few cliches which may have been chosen for the sake of gently making fun of musicals.

This show can have fantastic wit, from moments like having a sort of rap and tap dance battle to integrating Shakespeare’s lines into the regular dialogue. But the key here is the show can have a fantastic wit. — Emily Ladd

The sets are layered and wonderfully cartoony, with amazing set transitions and pieces and wonderful lighting. Something Rotten gives the best example of visual comedy and acting. Their tight choreography and cartoon-esque movements fit the play perfectly. I’m a big fan of visual comedy, and this cast played to that sense of humor. Watching them flail, collapse, and dance with abandon was an absolute riot. Their movements never felt out of place and absolutely fit the atmosphere. The cast and choreographers have comedic timing nailed down.

John Cariani plays his role wonderfully. He stood out the most to me, playing the role of the naive, starry-eyed younger brother perfectly. In fact I thought Cariani was in his early twenties, and was shocked to find out he’s 46 years old. The character of Nigel is awkward, but still adorable. Cariani never overdoes the nerdy aspect and gives the character heart. His singing voice is wonderful, and demonstrates his character growth subtly in changes in his acting and voice over the course of the two acts.

They all have wonderful singing voices, the ensemble cannot be overlooked. They absolute shine, especially in the bigger musical numbers. Whether they’re throwing themselves at Shakespeare or singing like a Gospel choir, they sing with rich emotion and absolute hilarity. Singing in a funny way doesn’t restrict them from singing clearly. The Minstrel stood out to me in particular, played by André Ward. While he was typically found in ensemble, he was sound animated and cheery it was hard to not notice him.

This show can have fantastic wit, from moments like having a sort of rap and tap dance battle to integrating Shakespeare’s lines into the regular dialogue. But the key here is the show can have a fantastic wit.

I know it’s a common element in musicals, but the show is practically overflowing with sexual innuendos and jokes. The story is oversaturated with them. Some would make sense, but it just gets worse as the show continues. The show demonstrates it can do wit and visual comedy, so the writing shouldn’t need to be crass all the time. I can’t in good faith give it a higher rating — I would, but crass isn’t clever. Something Rotten has so much good going for it, but it’s hard to see past the euphemisms. It’s almost worse because the rest of the writing shows they can do so much better than that. Again, I know it’s a common thing in theatre. But since it’s evident the writers are so talented, I wish they would have taken the opportunity to try some other form of jokes every once in awhile.

It makes me sad to not rate the show any higher. I really did love the story, the music, singing, acting, all of it! But there’s something rotten in the show. It’s hard to enjoy all the good when there’s so many dirty jokes. They distract from the overall experience, and many weren’t necessary. The show is well crafted otherwise, especially in story and acting. It’s great for a laugh, perfect for musical and Shakespeare fans and incredible to watch every actor who are each so talented. Just know what else you’re in for. 

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For more about the Feather in NYC, read COLUMN: Composing final memories, preparing to part ways.