SOMETHING ROTTEN Writer Says Mel Brooks Ripped Them Off With HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART 2 Scene
Book writer O'Farrell took to Twitter to share his response to the trailer for Mel Brooks' History of the World Part II.
By: Michael Major Feb. 08, 2023
John O'Farrell, the book writer of Something Rotten!, has tweeted that Mel Brooks "ripped [them] off" with a scene in History of the World Part II.
In Something Rotten, the character of Shakespeare rejects the idea of adding songs into his plays. Much of the musical revolves around the creation of the first "musical."
In a new trailer for Mel Brooks' History of the World Part II, Shakespeare, played by Josh Gad, similarly condemns the idea of adding music into his work.
O'Farrell took to Twitter to share his response to the trailer, stating: "Forsooth, Mel Brooks' new film hath ripped us off Something Rotten! I know writers can land on the same idea but our musical ran on Broadway for 2 years then toured for 2 more, there's no way that everyone connected with his film was unaware of it."
O'Farrell also shared a clip of Brian D'Arcy James, Brad Oscar, and the cast of Something Rotten! performing "A Musical" at the Tony Awards. During that scene, a soothsayer (Oscar) reveals to a struggling playwright and actor (James) that the next big thing in theatre is a musical, bursting into song while forseeing musicals of the future.
"Our premise was 'What if they came up with the idea of the musical in Shakespeare's London?' And here is the extract from Mel Brooks' new movie. (Ironically, or show was all about writers pinching each others' ideas!)," O'Farrell continued in the thread.
"In the past I've had ideas I later realised I'd seen somewhere else: then you just have to come up with something new. Mel Brooks has given me so much pleasure down the years, I'd be sad if he was now so all-powerful that no one could say to him 'Mel, they already did that," he concluded.
While the Shakespeare plot is only a small part of the History of the World Part II trailer, the four night event will begin streaming March 6 on Hulu.
Forsooth, Mel Brooks' new film hath ripped us off Something Rotten!
I know writers can land on the same idea but our musical ran on Broadway for 2 years then toured for 2 more, there's no way that everyone connected with his film was unaware of it. Here's us at the Tony awards: pic.twitter.com/AYmjc6xH2z- John O'Farrell (@mrjohnofarrell) February 8, 2023
In the past I've had ideas I later realised I'd seen somewhere else: then you just have to come up with something new.
- John O'Farrell (@mrjohnofarrell) February 8, 2023
Mel Brooks has given me so much pleasure down the years, I'd be sad if he was now so all-powerful that no one could say to him 'Mel, they already did that!'
Big fan. All due respect the trailer takes it out of context. It's a one off joke. Nobody breaks out into song (from what I recall) in the Shakes sketch. The trailer cuts to a completely different moment. It's literally that line and off. Something Rotten is brilliant btw.🙌
- Josh Gad (@joshgad) February 8, 2023
Watch the trailer for History of the World Part 2 here:
Watch Brian D'Arcy James and Brad Oscar perform "It's A Musical" on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade here:
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