Something Rotten--Not as Terrible as it Sounds

I've probably mentioned a few times that it's for good reason I'm not a theatre critic, yes? Since I have this tendency to love every show more than anyone should, and a strong aversion to writing down anything that I didn't like? Especially if it's an actor I've already seen and liked who's obviously in the wrong part or having a bad night--I just can't bring myself to say so in public.

So, not a critic. And it's a good thing, because I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Something Rotten, currently in its second year on Broadway and now touring the U.S. (Which means, wonder of wonders, that I get to see it again when it comes to Cincinnati in a few months' time! RESULT.)

What I tweeted after I bought my ticket. They're
even better on stage than they are on Twitter,
  which is saying something.

After I bought a Les Miserables ticket last month, I knew I'd want to see at least one other show in New York, so after staring at the current list of Broadway shows for about 20 minutes I finally went with a show that has an actor I already knew I liked (Josh Grisetti). Y'all, even if it is hard to go wrong on Broadway, I have the BEST luck when it comes to choosing Broadway shows.

From the song "Will Power."
Source: Something Rotten Facebook.

The Shakespeare jokes were magnificent. The songs were brilliant. The gentle mocking of popular musicals--and musicals themselves as an art form--was fabulous. The cast was obviously having so much fun. I doubt that I heard half the jokes because I was laughing so hard from the previous one. I did hear the joke about the price of drinks in the theatre, which was doubly funny because I had just sent a horrified tweet to my sister about the cost of a cocktail right before the show started. (I didn't get one. There's no amount of adult beverage that could dull the pain of handing over that much cash.)

And the best bit... there's a long buildup to a Les Mis joke, which the audience of course knows is coming, that just gets funnier and funnier leading up to the two-part punchline. I was already giggling knowing what was coming, and when the first half of the punchline came out I couldn't hold back the enormous "HA!" that burst out of me. Then the second half hit and I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face (along with the rest of the audience).

I got two stage door selfies at this show,
 but the other one is....well, rotten.
I'm not great at holding a phone and pushing
a button one-handed. Anyway, this is Aleks Pevec, who
was on as Shakespeare the night I saw the show.

My face was hurting at the end from so much grinning and laughing. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've never laughed so hard in a theatre. If Something Rotten comes to you on tour, don't miss it. Even musical haters can have fun at this one.