Something Rotten tour

[Diane]

The national tour of Something Rotten will hit Chicago in a couple of weeks, and stay just a couple of weeks (we are getting spoiled here by Broadway shows doing sit-down Chicago productions or at least extended visits). It has never been a show high on my list but through a special offer I picked up a couple of relatively cheap seats.    The cast includes Adam Pascal, Rob McClure, and Josh Grisseti.  I'm planning to relax and enjoy myself--something I do surprisingly rarely in the theater!

[mrssondheim]

Let me know how it is!  I wanna see it too when it comes to town!

[iheartgranola]

We saw it in Cleveland when it came through at the beginning of May. Neither of us knew the score or the story, went in totally blind. It's a solid production, and we had a lot of fun. McClure's Nick Bottom anchored it all quite well, and Nostradamus was very, very strong. Adam was channeling Bowie as Shakespeare, which was surprisingly effective.

[Hester Jean]

I saw it when it came through St. Louis earlier this year.  I really enjoyed it and Rob McClure is great!

[MartinG]

There was speculation about a West End transfer last year but I've heard nothing more encouraging.

[fjlumia]

I think you will be happy that you got tickets.  Its a delightful show with some very funny stuff.  Saw it in NYC.

[Diane]

We did have fun at "Something Rotten."   I will say I feel like something is missing, and I think it may be in the parts of the show that aren't about "putting on a show"--in other words, the subplots about Nick's wife and Nigel's romance.   The songs in those sections went by like filler.  But all the big production numbers land well, and I enjoyed the silliness of "Omelet"  (more than my husband did).   The energy rising from the performers was impressive and created an equal response from the audience.  Adam Pascal was very funny and, as Bevan said, very Bowie.

Lots of broad sexual innuendo, so if that tickles your fancy, double entendres abound  (It's hard, it's hard, it's hard, it's hard...to be the Bard!).

Any regular readers of this board should be very well prepared to catch the many references to modern musical theater in the show.   I recommend brushing up on your Hamlet in order to get the full range of jokes (I had the good fortune to have seen Hamlet at the Public Theater less than a week earlier!)