Cottage Theatre recently opened its 2025 season with Something Rotten, a musical comedy about two brothers, Nick and Nigel Bottom, who attempt to outwrite Shakespeare, only to end up in more trouble than they’d imagined.
The musical initially debuted on Broadway in 2015 and won a Tony that same year.
Something Rotten is directed and choreographed by Janet Rust, with musical direction done by Christopher Holt. Nick and Nigel Bottom, played by Dylan Bunten and Matthew Michaels, are a well written dyad with a multitude of musical numbers and differing ideals, which frequently clash during the show.
Over the course of the show, Nick and Nigel tussle over the direction of their new musical which leads to Nick seeking the guidance of a psychic, Nostradamus, played by Marc Siegel. Nigel instead runs into his love interest Portia, played by Kenady Conforth, which only further complicates the situation.
The set on stage is simple and tries to replicate the lower class Renaissance 1600s style by keeping colors simple and costumes even simpler. Set designer Tony Rust manages to distinguish the outdoors pieces, and indoor party scenes particularly well, and I never found myself confused on the act’s location. Additionally, the vibe of “the Renaissance” is present throughout the show, and I never wondered if the set was pointing to something else.
The eight members of the live band cram themselves into a small pit in front of the stage. The music for this production was on time and pleasant, effectively providing the orchestral backdrop and sound effects. Their standing ovation at the end of the musical was well deserved.
The cast is composed of 17 named roles and an additional ensemble of 12 people, some playing multiple roles, but each part feels distinct. The disguises used for repeat actors were excellent; had I not been watching closely, I wouldn’t have noticed any reused actors.
Something Rotten endeavors to poke fun at the musical genre and at Shakespearean plays. In fact, during the show, a heavily used line by Nick Bottom is “I hate Shakespeare,” a sentiment he maintains even when Shakespeare is on stage, including an entire song and dance.
Overall, the musical is fun and doesn’t overstay its welcome, with a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes, including a short intermission.
Character arcs are complete, if somewhat predictable, and satisfying. Each character is consistently written, staying true to their initial appearances at the beginning of the show. This said, some of the character plot lines are predictable, which can make certain story beats feel a bit circular and repetitive, but that’s more a product of the genre.
The humor is consistent, and each scene got a laugh from most of the audience, myself included. Still, it begins to overstay its welcome toward the end, as much of the humor is sexual. While I had no issue with the content, there are only so many ways to deliver that kind of note, and after a while, it’s the same old tune.
Something Rotten was a good time and left me satisfied after an enjoyable night. Be prepared for catchy musical numbers, bawdy jokes and a slew of historical jabs at Shakespeare and the Renaissance.