By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“)
Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, the two brothers who conceived Something Rotten! and more recently wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Mrs. Doubtfire (Karey also wrote that book), probably have a tinge of pride that Something Rotten! – a sendup of Broadway musicals improbably set in the Elizabethan Era –is making its return to Louisiana at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts.
The two have very specific Louisiana connections – Wayne was born in Mississippi, but reared in Alexandria and later moved to Baton Rouge, while younger brother Karey was born in Monroe and finished his high school career in the state capital a few years behind him..
Both have achieved success in several areas of the entertainment realm besides Broadway. Wayne now lives in Nashville and is a very successful songwriter, while Karey is a screenwriter and director of several live action (“Imagine That!”) and animated films (“Chicken Run” and “Over the Hedge”).
The two brothers enjoyed a long-running love of the musical art form and it clearly shows in Something Rotten! The musical cues and gags fly fast and furious throughout the two acts with popular shows like A Chorus Line, Rent, Les Miserables and Annie all targets for their satirical slices.
The Bottom brothers – Nick and Nigel – are the focus for the book written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell. The two collaborate on writing plays during the same time as such other literary luminaries as Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe and the renowned William Shakespeare. In fact, Shakespeare is revered as a rock god among no equals and Nigel – much to Nick’s distaste – is a big fan of the Bard.
Nick, played by Marc Fouchi, is the epitome of a frustrated artist. Married to the beautiful and independent Bea, portrayed by his real life wife Kelly Fouchi, Nick tries every trick to keep Shakespeare (Jake Wynne-Wilson) at bay, while starstruck brother Nigel basks in the glow of the celebrated playwright. Marc Fouchi makes this very difficult role look easy with sensational singing and impeccable comic timing.
Determined to cut any corner in his quest to best Shakespeare and mount the most successful play of his time, Nick enlists a soothsayer named Nostradamus to channel his prescient powers and predict what will be the rage in the future. This is not the fabled Nostradamus who, according to legend, successfully predicted many future events. No, this is his less accurate cousin, who is spot on in determining what a musical is all about (“It’s a Musical”) but who has not refined his powers when it comes to the more salient points.
Nick’s unrelenting campaign to one up Shakespeare creates a schism between the otherwise caring brothers, while his chauvinistic ideas about his wife working to help support the family are met with disdain by Bea. Kelly Fouchi has no such trouble as to wearing the pants in real life as she directs this production magnificently.
Eventually, Shakespeare learns of the Bottom brothers’ plans and it isn’t long that he comes up with a plan of his own, leading to a hilarious conclusion in Act II with a musical titled Omelette that Nostradamus is certain will become Shakespeare’s greatest work. (Think about it.)
Along the way we meet several characters such as Portia (Victoria Ventura), who falls for poet and sonnet writer Nigel, her campaigning Puritan father Brother Jeremiah (Ken Goode, Jr.), who betrays his own homoerotic fascination with every protest and would-be producer Shylock, played with squealish delight by Ricky Graham.
As the Minstrel, Bryce Slocumb is on the stage far too little but that part, which serves to open and close each act, is truly designed to steal everyone else’s thunder. Kyle Daigrepont is also well cast in two roles, Lord Clapham and the Minister of Justice at the musical’s end.
The 20-member ensemble with choreography by Katelin Zelon rises to the occasion with fantastic dance breaks and even tap numbers that are nothing less than spectacular.
Elise Spurlock, who was exceptional at Rivertown in The Prom two seasons ago, returns to act a s musical director and she does a fantastic job of making the canned music really seem more like a live orchestra. Arrangements are by Glen Kelly and orchestrations are by Larry Hockman.
The lighting designs by Camille Griffin are superb and the set design by Kristin Blatchford is top notch. Costumes, which are coordinated by Judy Beaman, are specific rentals to this show and designed by Gregg Barnes, while Amanda Bravender does a wonderful job with coordinating the wigs.
Once again, Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts turns out a production that could be the rival of any national touring show. The talent on the stage is evident from the very beginning of the first notes of Act I.
A terrific sendup of Broadway musicals, Something Rotten! performed so well on Broadway during the year of Hamilton that it became a hit and recouped the investment of its producing team. While Hamilton captured most of the Tony Awards that year, fans of Something Rotten! continued to purchase tickets and enjoy the tongue-in-cheek satire of the musical form. While some of the musical gags may sail over the heads of many of its audience members, those that land well will make the experience an enjoyable one, especially as it speeds to its conclusion in Act II.
Something Rotten! (2 hours and 40 minutes including a 15-minute intermission) continues at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts through May 25. Tickets are available here or by calling 504-461-9475.
