Something Rotten! at Manchester Opera House — The Musical You Might Not Know, But Really Should

Last Saturday, we headed to Manchester to see Something Rotten! at the Opera House — and I suspect this is a show that is going to surprise a lot of people.

It is not a musical that I think is particularly well known to UK audiences. Many people will probably arrive without knowing the story, the songs or even quite what to expect.

That may actually be one of its greatest strengths.

Because Something Rotten! is very, very funny.

Set in the world of William Shakespeare, the story follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom as they desperately try to create a theatrical hit while living in the shadow of the most successful writer of the age.

Desperate to discover the secret of future theatrical success, Nick turns to Nostradamus for help and asks him to look into the future.

What does he see?

Musicals.

And, with Nostradamus not always getting every detail of the future quite right, that glimpse of what is to come provides the show with some of its funniest moments.

From there, Something Rotten! embraces its own glorious silliness. The writing feels like it has been finely tuned over time, with jokes, visual gags, musical references and callbacks landing one after another. It knows exactly what it is: a celebration and parody of Shakespeare and musical theatre, performed with enough confidence and skill to make the whole thing work.

A Show That Borrows From the Best

Part of the fun is the way Something Rotten! hooks into, and shamelessly borrows from, the popularity of other well-known musicals.

The show is packed with callbacks to famous show tunes, familiar choreography and moments that will have regular theatre-goers nudging each other as they recognise another reference.

It means that even if you arrive knowing nothing about Something Rotten! itself, there is plenty that feels instantly familiar.

The show celebrates musical theatre at the same time as it gently mocks its conventions, and spotting the references becomes part of the entertainment. Some are obvious, others flash past quickly, but together they give the show another layer of humour for anyone who loves a good musical.

You do not need to know Something Rotten! to enjoy it.

But the more musicals you know, the more jokes you will find.

A Cast That Delivers

At the centre of it all, Jason Manford proved to be a hugely effective comic lead as Nick Bottom.

He brought exactly the high energy and natural comic timing you might expect, commanding the stage and keeping the show moving at a relentless pace. What may have surprised some in the audience, though, was just how strong his vocals were.

His singing more than matched his stage presence, making this feel like a genuinely accomplished musical-theatre performance rather than simply a comedian taking on a leading role.

If Jason Manford provided the show’s comic energy, Richard Fleeshman was the pillar of the whole performance as William Shakespeare.

His was a complete musical-theatre performance: superb vocals, brilliant dancing and impeccable comic timing, all delivered with enormous stage presence.

And when the role demanded it, there was even a perfectly judged Scottish accent.

Fleeshman seemed completely at home with every part of the performance, making Shakespeare every inch the swaggering Elizabethan superstar the show needs him to be.

Marisha Wallace was, quite simply, the vocal powerhouse of the production.

As Bea Bottom, she brought a huge voice and commanding presence to the stage, delivering every number with the kind of power and confidence that makes an audience sit up and take notice.

In a cast full of strong singers, Wallace still managed to raise the vocal bar whenever she stepped forward.

The show-stealer, though, was Cory English as Nostradamus.

Admittedly, he had the advantage of a wonderfully written part, but he made the absolute most of every moment. With superb comic timing and a performance that embraced every ounce of the role’s absurdity, English was irresistible whenever he appeared.

In a production packed with big personalities and strong performances, it was Nostradamus who ultimately stole the show.

A Great Start to the Evening

A big shout-out also has to go to the friendly staff at Lina Stores, just across the road from the Opera House.

A good theatre trip is often about more than the show itself, and the welcome we received there helped get the evening off to a great start. Being so close to the theatre also makes it an ideal spot to visit before a performance.

The Theatre Experience

The Opera House itself added to the experience.

The theatre was comfortable, but what really stood out was the remarkably clear sound.

In a fast-moving comedy packed with lyrics, jokes and quick musical references, that clarity really mattered. Every word could be heard, allowing the comedy to land properly and ensuring that the big vocals had the impact they deserved.

One Final Bonus

There was one final bonus after the curtain came down.

It was great to see the show’s big stars coming out to the stage door after the performance, taking time to meet the people who had stayed behind.

After such a high-energy show, it was a lovely way to finish the evening and added another memorable moment to an already excellent theatre trip.

A Genuine Surprise — and Very Good Fun

Perhaps the biggest surprise is simply just how good Something Rotten! is.

This is a musical many people may not know, starring a cast full of performers they probably do. It is fast, clever, ridiculous and, most importantly, very good fun.

The jokes have been finely tuned, the musical references reward theatre fans and the cast commits completely to the madness. This is not a show that asks to be taken too seriously. It wants its audience to laugh, spot the references and enjoy the ride — and that is exactly what we did.

I suspect lots of people will walk into Something Rotten! not quite knowing what to expect and walk out wondering why they had not heard more about it before.

We certainly did.