Something Rotten

Wayne Kirkpatrick, Karey Kirkpatrick, John O'Farrell

Alchemation & JAS Theatricals

Opera House, Manchester

June 24-July 19, 2026; 2hrs 15mins

Jason Manford - performer of many pans, though not in a bad way - in Something Rotten (not in a bad way either). All pics: Pamela Raith

On the hottest June day since records began, audiences poured into the Opera House and its air-conditioned auditorium for the UK premiere of this irreverent fun musical.

Renaissance England: the Puritans are on the rise and the biggest star is none other than William Shakespeare (Richard Fleeshman), whose admirers are legion. Struggling playwright brothers Nick (Jason Manford) and Nigel Bottom (Cassius Hackforth) dream of theatrical success but remain firmly in the Bard’s shadow. In desperation, Nick consults Nostradamus (Cory English), a delightfully dubious soothsayer who predicts the future of theatre and inspires the brothers to create something the world has never seen before – a musical about... an omelette.

As their scheme gathers momentum, rivalries deepen, dialogue is shamelessly pilfered, innuendo flies thick and fast, and increasingly underhand tactics threaten to derail their ambitions. Meanwhile, Nick's quick-witted wife Bea Bottom (Marisha Wallace) proves more than a match for the men around her, while the forbidden romance between Nigel and Portia (Carla Dixon-Hernandez), Father Jeremiah's daughter, provides the show's emotional anchor.

Something Rotten! is an affectionate celebration of musical theatre, peppered with references to classic Broadway and West End favourites in melodic echoes, choreographic nods or affectionate parody. The score tips its hat to the great musicals without losing its own identity. The orchestration is rich, the sound balanced well and pleasingly free from the over-amplification that so often blights modern productions.

Jason Manford's comic timing is effortless and his singing has developed a well-placed lyrical warmth. Marisha Wallace Elliotte is glorious as the indefatigable Bea, combining brilliant vocals with robust character authority. Cory English once again demonstrates his flair for finely-tuned character acting, creating a wonderfully eccentric Nostradamus. Richard Fleeshman is the self-obsessed swaggering, leather-clad, rock-star Shakespeare, delivering the score with precision, while Elliotte Williams-N'Dure is humorous as pantomimic Lady Croydon. Cassius Hackforth is undoubtedly one to watch, bringing genuine warmth and unaffected innocence to Nigel, particularly in his charming duet with Carla Dixon-Hernandez.

The design conjures a Tudor London that could easily be mistaken for Manchester's Shambles. Lighting shifts from sepia-tinted warmth to full-blown Broadway spectacle – before arriving, gloriously, at fried eggs! Costumes cleverly reinvent period dress, while the choreography and staging are simple, evoking the golden age of the musical with nods to countless classics.

Whether you're steeped in Shakespeare, devoted to musicals or in search of an entertaining evening, this is a show that is sure to make you smile.

More info and tickets here