Something Rotten premiered on Broadway in 2015 and quickly became a cult classic due to its familiar plot and fresh songs. The play is set in the 1595 Renaissance and focuses on brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom who want to write and perform their play during Shakespeare’s rise to fame. They entertain the idea of a musical and prepare to outshine Shakespeare in his claim to fame. Something Rotten features iconic Brian d’Arcy James in the role of Nick Bottom and Christian Borle as Shakespeare. My favorite songs from the play are “Welcome to the Renaissance”, “Hard to be the Bard”, “Right Hand Man”, “God I Hate Shakespeare” (same), “I Love the Way” and “A Musical”. Although I never saw the play in real life, I’ve binge-listened to the original cast soundtrack a million times and it’s becoming my newest favorite!
