Theater review: ‘Something Rotten’ is a big wet kiss to Broadway, and we’re happy about that

There’s nothing rotten about “Something Rotten.”

The Tony-nominated show, on its first national tour since closing on Broadway on Jan. 1, has everything a successful musical comedy should have: catchy songs, funny lines, energetic dance numbers and a winning cast.

The story, a farcical and slightly bawdy take on Renaissance London, centers on the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who run a failing theater troupe. They’re dreaming of their one big hit, but find themselves thwarted at every turn by “the Bard,” William Shakespeare. Deeply in debt and in a moment of desperation, Nick turns to a soothsayer named Thomas Nostradamus (really) to find out what audiences really want.

His answer? A musical, of course. When asked what Shakespeare’s greatest play will be, Nostradamus gets oh, so close. But he goes for the wrong half of the ham-and-egg breakfast plate and predicts Shakespeare’s greatest achievement will be “Omelette,” about a prince, with a danish.

“Alas, poor yoke. I knew him well.”

See what I mean by farcical? Toss in a preening Shakespeare, a Puritan girl who loves poetry, and the lovesick poet besotted with her, a strong-willed housewife out to prove that women can work, and a Puritan leader a little too quick with the double entendres, and you have what you need for an entertaining show.

Let’s start with the cast. It’s unusual for a touring show to come to Spokane as loaded with talent as this one. Rob McClure, a Tony nominee for his star turn in “Chaplin: The Musical,” makes a great first impression as Nick with the number “God, I Hate Shakespeare.” His brother Nigel is charmingly played by Josh Grisetti, who won a Theatre World Award for his work off-Broadway in “Enter Laughing.” He’s completely adorable as the lovelorn Nigel, torn between his love for Portia (a charming Autumn Hurlbert), his fondness of Shakespeare, and devotion to his brother. His duet with Portia, “I Love the Way” is funny and sweet.

Then there’s Shakespeare. Played by Adam Pascal, he’s a strutting showboat, totally in love with his rock-star life, the kind of guy who says, “Is it good to see me, or what?” to a gathering of his adoring fans. Pascal, a Tony nominee for his performance as Roger Davis in the original Broadway production of “Rent,” has a Broadway résumé that includes the emcee in “Cabaret,” Billy Flynn in “Chicago,” and Huey Calhoun in “Memphis.” He’s clearly having a blast on stage as Shakespeare. From his big entrance in “Will Power” to his tap-off with Nick in “Bottom’s Gonna Be on Top,” to “Hard to Be the Bard,” he’s a joy to watch.

I also really loved Bea, Nick’s wife, played by Maggie Lakis. Her “Right Hand Man” in Act I is delightful, while the reprise in Act II takes on a more wistful tone. She and McClure are married in real life – and it shows. They have great chemistry.

The cast is sprinkled with good performances. As the Puritan Brother Jeremiah, Scott Cote nearly steals every scene he’s in, with little more than a double-take and a swivel of his hip. As Nostradamus, Blake Hammond is an oddball delight.

While the story is fairly familiar, “Something Rotten” is filled with good, old-fashioned show tunes. That the songs are memorable is no surprise, given they were written by screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick (“James and the Giant Peach,” “Chicken Run”) and his songwriter brother, Wayne Kirkpatrick, who has written hits for Little Big Town and Garth Brooks and won a Grammy for Eric Clapton’s “Change the World.” A day later, I’m still humming “Welcome to the Renaissance,” “A Musical,” “Hard to Be the Bard,” and the improbably cheerful “The Black Death” – and I’m not sad about it.

If I had a complaint, it would be that some of the jokes seem a bit obvious. As the moneylender Shylock, Jeff Hammond gives a fine performance, but those Jewish tropes are so tired by now. And to have Nostradamus just randomly yell his prediction about “Cats!” was a little too easy.

Still, the show is best recognized for what it really is: a big kiss to the Broadway musical. With references to shows ranging from “Avenue Q” to “Mary Poppins,” with stops at “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Annie” and “Phantom of the Opera,” “Something Rotten” is a love letter to the genre, and offers a fun evening for the fans who willingly pay money to watch actors break into song.

And there’s nothing rotten about that.