Something Rotten
With excellent set design, intricate costumes, catchy songs, dirty jokes, Something Rotten is something to remember. This contemporary period piece was risque, to say the least, and the audience ate it up. Jett Collins, playing Robin dressed delivered his lines in drag, Bea Bottom was a feminist icon, and Tom Eastman and AJ’s Plumb’s on-stage chemistry was off the charts.
The story follows an ongoing rivalry between Nick Bottom and Shakespeare who Nick claims is a fraud, and completely overrated. In truth though, Nick was jealous of Shakespeare’s success because he was stuck eating cabbage for dinner, indebted to his landlord. Bea Bottom, Nick’s wife, then takes it upon herself to provide for the family, and she takes on a job as a “Sh*t Boy.” To remedy the situation, Nick visits the crazed eccentric nephew of Nostradamus who tells Nick that the next big thing will be a musical. At first, Nick is skeptical and delivers some sarcastic comments about the type of people who would go to a musical. But, by the end of “A Musical ”- a show-stopping number that included: glimmering costumes, iconic choreography, and allusions to musicals that are yet to come- Nick is convinced: this is exactly the big idea he has been waiting for. Immediately Nick and his brother Nigel get to work on “The Black Death.” Unfortunately for the world of entertainment, the pitch was ahead of its time. Their patron is scared away and the funding drops. Nick is left without funding or support. Thankfully, there’s an epiphany around the corner. While Nick catches The Bard stealing from Nigel, he realizes that he could just as easily steal from Shakespeare. So, he travels back to Nostradamus who informs Nick that the next big thing, the best show to ever be performed, the one thing that will make Nick Bottom’s name go down in history is …Omelette. Nigel Bottom, a real writer, hesitates to sell out by writing about…eggs. Instead, he wants to produce a show with a deeper meaning. To test out his ideas he runs to Portia- his love interest throughout the play who shares his passion for poetry. Portia reminds him to be true to himself- a clever nod to one of Shakespeare’s most famous lines. In the end, after a rather ridiculous showing of Omelet, Nick and the cast are arrested by the church and nearly beheaded. Luckily Nick’s wife quite literally saves his neck. Nick, Bea, Niggel, and Portia live happily ever after and move to America, and they start working on the next big thing.
After talking to two freshmen, who would prefer to remain anonymous, Trident came to appreciate the landlord Shylock, who according to the first freshman was “like one of the funniest characters.” And her friend pointed out that “without her, there would have been no show.” Trident hopes that the CdM theater department will continue this trend of newer, more mature productions.