Review – Something Rotten! – Manchester Opera House

Set in 1595 Renaissance England, Something Rotten follows the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, the Bottom Brothers, struggling playwrights who can’t seem to write a hit, all because of the hottest new writer, William Shakespeare. With hopes to support his wife Bea, and finally prove he can write something worthwhile, Nick pays a soothsayer to tell him what Shakespeare’s biggest play will be. He is told the future of theatre will be musicals, and that Shakespeare’s hit is called Omelette (mistaken for Hamlet). Much to the confusion of everyone else, Nick convinces Nigel that they must write the world’s first play with songs: Omelette the Musical.

Musical Theatre fans have been calling for the official fully-staged premiere of Something Rotten since the incredibly successful, award-winning concert production at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane which sold out its limited three-performance run in 2024. After almost two years, Something Rotten has returned to the UK to play in Manchester ahead of a planned West End run.

What makes the show work so well is the simple premise of the binary opposites of Renaissance England compared to modern views and language; such as, groups of Tudors swooning over the infamous celebrity, William Shakespeare, holding placards, asking him for his autograph, as if he were a rock star… and a rock star he is!

The passionate Jason Manford leads the show as Nick Bottom, using comedy and relatability to allow the audience to feel the character’s strong dreams. He is supported by Cassius Hackforth, in the role of Nigel Bottom, who is so adorable and character-driven in his performance that you can’t help but fall in love with him. This really is only the beginning of Hackforth’s soon-to-be-huge career. Audience favourite, Marisha Wallace, returns to the musical as Bea, after playing in the ensemble of the original Broadway cast of Something Rotten. Her vocal performance is so sensational and powerful that audiences are in awe of her raw talent as a singer, particularly in her rendition of ‘Right Hand Man’.

New additions to the cast, Cory English and Carla Dixon-Hernandez, having not performed at the 2024 concert, join the team perfectly. English’s famously quirky, larger-than-life comedy, after playing the role of Dr. Emmett Brown in Back to the Future the Musical in the West End, is hilarious for the role of Nostradamus, making audiences erupt with applause and cheers for his performance of ‘A Musical’ alongside Manford and the ensemble. Meanwhile, Dixon-Hernandez gives a cute and loveable performance as Portia and she not only compliments the cast, but confidently shows Portia to audiences as the integral role in the plot of the musical that she is.

Inevitably, the stand out performance in the entire show is Richard Fleeshman, in the role of William Shakespeare. Fleeshman doesn’t play Shakespeare, he IS Shakespeare. He commands the stage with such ease. Not only is his vocal power incredible, but his portrayal of the character is so believable in the vanity, confidence, self-importance and comedy required in the role that audiences can’t help but swoon, and applaud him simply for entering or exiting the stage. To quote a friend of mine: “no one wears leather trousers like Richard Fleeshman”.

Something Rotten is so full of joy, and is the musical that theatre fans need in today’s world. It’s hilarious, it’s catchy, it’s beautiful. The musical’s most well-known numbers such as ‘Welcome to the Renaissance’, ‘Bottom’s Gonna Be on Top’ and ‘Hard to be the Bard’ are only the beginning of this amazing show. The responses for songs such as ‘A Musical’, ‘We See the Light’ and ‘Make an Omelette’ are so loud and appreciative, that you could only believe it by actually being in the auditorium itself to see why. There really is much ado about Something Rotten! Henceforth, book thy tickets now!

Exit Shakespeare.

*****     Five Stars