5 Fun Facts About Something Rotten!
The new must-see show in Manchester!
The year is 1595. Something Rotten! follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, two playwrights desperate to escape the shadow of the successful William Shakespeare. When a fortune teller predicts the future of theatre involves singing, they attempt to beat Shakespeare at his own game by creating the world's first musical - known as Omelette!
Yes, you can expect to see Shakespeare twerking in what is sure to be your new rotten guilty pleasure. But before you book tickets, read these fun facts!
Something Rotten Fun Facts
1. Shakespeare is the cool kid in the story
No A-level English literature students rolling their eyes in this room! In this show, The Bard isn't just a writer - he's a rockstar-level celebrity who everyone is trying (and failing) to compete with. All the world's a stage for this star.
2. It was alive far before its Broadway debut
The 90s were iconic; we had everything from Britney to Backstreet Boys - but who'd have thought that brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick were literally cooking up Something Rotten before the new millennium!
Later, they teamed up with John O'Farrell, and the show slowly evolved from a "what if?" idea into a full Broadway musical. It goes to show, never throw away a first draft. The show officially opened at the St. James Theatre on April 22, 2015, and ran for 742 performances before closing on January 1, 2017.
3. It is packed with musical theatre Easter eggs
One of its biggest running gags is how often it references other musicals. "A Musical" and "Make an Omelette" deliberately parody shows like The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Chicago, and many more. Talk about giving Moulin Rouge! a run for its money!
4. It was a Tony Awards heavyweight (even if it didn't win big overall)
It scored 10 Tony nominations, including Best Musical, and won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Christian Borle's take on William Shakespeare.
5. It has had a surprisingly global life after Broadway
After New York, it travelled across the US, then turned up in Sweden, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, and more - each with their own adaptations and translations. Now it's finally getting a major UK moment in Manchester, starring Jason Manford, Richard Fleeshman and Marisha Wallace!
