Review: SOMETHING ROTTEN at Albuquerque Little Theatre

Welcome to the Renaissance! Where a down on their luck troupe of players, led by the brotherly team of Nick (Ron Gallegos) and Nigel Bottom (Alexander Harding) , are desperately searching for a hit, and a way to knock their arch nemesis, one Will Shakespeare (Cedric Gegel) , off his perch. All three of these actors perfectly suit their roles and do a fantastic job of steering the action throughout the course of the show.

Nick gets help from a Nostradamus, a great comic turn by Nicolas Handley, who tells Nick he should write a musical based on what will eventually be the Bard’s biggest play ever……Omelette. To say that the soothsayer is a little touched is putting it mildly, and not just because he mistakes Hamlet for a story about eggs. He gives Nick snippets of just about every great musical of the last 75 years, all of which gets incorporated into the Bottom brothers’ hilarious script. This will be a lot of fun for you musical theater kids out there – try and keep track of all the musical references!

While formulating their “masterpiece,” Nigel meets and falls hard for Puritan Portia, played with great enthusiasm and sparkle by Devon Frieder.  Portia’s father, Brother Jeremiah (Tim Macalpine – who delivers some great comic moments), is the head of the Puritan sect, and is doing everything in his power to stop both the Bottom brothers and Shakespeare from putting on their lascivious spectacles.

Another star turn by Jillian Foster who plays Bea, Nick Bottom’s long-suffering wife who seems to be the only person with the fortitude to get the troupe of actors their success.  Her vocals and comedic timing were on point and gave the crazier characters some grounding.  

The ensemble does a wonderful job with the very broad and tongue in cheek humor that fills this show. The musical numbers are well choreographed and each ensemble member gets moments to shine.  While the lighting downstage was too dim at times, overall the technical side of things was well-executed. Costume designer Chris Appleton, Set Designer Jason Roman, Lighting Designer Nicholas Hoganand Sound Designer Lando Ruiz created a believable world for the ensemble.

Big props to Devon Frieder, the Producer, Director, Choreographer and one of the stars of the show. Her annual productions in Albuquerque continue to get better each year; we can’t wait to see what is next for this company that boasts solid, professional musical theater skills.

If you want a night of fun, frothy comedy and great songs, check this show out. Something Rotten runs through February 11 at Albuquerque Little Theatre. Tickets available at https://albuquerquelittletheatre.org/devon-frieder-productions-something-rotten/

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