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There’s nothing off, spoiled or mouldy about The Shakespeare Firm and StoryBook Theatre’s co-production of the 2015 Broadway musical One thing Rotten.
It’s two hours of unabashed, unapologetic, slapstick tomfoolery showcasing a number of the metropolis’s most interesting musical theatre expertise.
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One thing Rotten is an irreverent satire of Shakespeare’s enduring fame and the traditions of musical theatre.
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It’s 1595, and the English Renaissance has made rock stars of its writers, poets and playwrights, and none is extra rocking than The Bard of Avon. Earlier than he turned the largest title in English theatre, Shakespeare was a member of The Botton Brothers firm. As Will’s star rose, Nick and Nigel Backside’s sank. Determined to have a success, Nick consults the self-appointed oracle, Tomas Nostradamus, nephew of the well-known soothsayer, to see what the subsequent massive factor in theatre might be. Nostradamus tells Nick that musicals will at some point be extra standard than any play Shakespeare ever wrote, so Nick is decided to create the primary British musical, and, you simply know all the things that may go improper does.
In what quantities to a gloriously unrestrained efficiency, Joel Schaefer performs Nick as a steamrolling buffoon. He’s like a younger model of Broadway legends Zero Mostel and Nathan Lane. Like them, Schaefer has a robust voice and is aware of methods to take vocal command of each certainly one of his musical numbers, particularly God, I Hate Shakespeare; A Musical; and One thing Rotten. He’s fearless in his physicality and is a grasp of comedian invention.
With a lot assist from his leather-based outfit, Tory Physician offers Shakespeare a type of Mick Jagger swagger, bursting onto the stage with a raucous ensemble quantity known as Will Energy that had the opening evening viewers cheering and stomping their ft. He will get to tease extra delicate reactions from his second act quantity, It’s Laborious to be the Bard. This Shakespeare is a little bit of a villain, and Physician revels in revealing his Mephistophelian nastiness.
As Nostradamus, a befuddled oracle who’s previous his prime, Hal Kerbes proves he can slamdunk a joke with as a lot ability and ease as he does a musical quantity. It’s a virtuoso efficiency that invitations the viewers to have as a lot enjoyable as he’s having.
It seems Nigel Botton is the true genius of Renaissance England, and Christopher Sherwood performs him as a plaintive reluctant hero who falls in love with Portia (Taylor Rae Steedman) the daughter of the Puritan preacher Brother Jeremiah (Joey Gruszecki). Their bumbling makes an attempt at courtship are sweetly foolish, however their love duets have the required emotional gusto.
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The supporting solid boasts sturdy, memorable performances from Gianna Learn-Skelton as Nick’s spouse Bea, Nicholas Chamberlain because the minstrel, Ben Jaquish as Shylock the cash lender, and Steven Morton because the cross-dressing member of Nick’s troupe.
Terry Gunvordahl’s set is as enticing as it’s useful, and Melissa Mitchell Boychuk’s costumes add to the visible enjoyable of the present.
JP Thibodeau’s path is creative, sly, and peppered with bawdy sexual innuendo. His stage is at all times a flurry of exercise, guaranteeing a boisterous feel and look. Greg Pember’s choreography is constantly energetic, particularly within the massive manufacturing numbers A Musical and Make An Omelette, which pay tribute to many well-known Broadway musicals.
The lyrics of the songs present a lot of the present’s humour, so at any time when the music dwarfs the singers, these fantastic jokes are misplaced.
One thing Rotten runs within the Beddington Theatre Arts Centre at 375 Bermuda Drive N.W. till April 21.
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