SOMETHING ROTTEN! Written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell. Music and lyrics composed by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick. Directed by Paul Griffiths. Choreography by Ursula Lubbe. Musical director Thinus Viljoen. PHotographs: Nicholson Media. Waterfront Theatre School. Artscape Arena.
MEGAN CHORITZ reviews
What a delight. What a relief and release for me. Something Rotten! blew my blues away, made me giggle and lol, and indulge in the theatrical, musical hilarity, poured onto stage by the gorgeous talent of the Waterfront Theatre School students.
Something Rotten! is honestly the best musical to showcase musical theatre talent. Which is crazy because it is set in Shakespeare’s Elizabethan times. This doesn’t hold it back.
It is the story of Nick Bottom, who is a desperate bard, totally jealous and living in Will Shakespeare’s shadow. His brother lives in his shadow, and his wife is a feminist. There is a Shylock, a Portia, a soothsayer, actors and dancers galore, religion, bawdiness, hilarious Elizabethan costumes, and eggs. Eggs because Hamlet gets lost in translation and becomes Omelette. Hilarious.
Bravissimo!
The musical and Shakespearean references come thick and fast, and I probably missed more than I got, but they are so funny, and irreverent, and cheeky and the students do more than shine, they glow, they camp it up, they go all in, and full on in the musical madness of it. There is tapdancing. There are a few cancans. There are solos, and duos, and huge chorus mashups. There is rhyming, there are silly one liners, there are fountains of ridiculousness. There is SINGING! I loved it all.
I loved the talented students. I loved the rigour of the dancing and singing and their commitment and generosity in the ensemble. These young performers work hard, and it shows. But mostly, I adored their confidence, their joy, their simple delight in being on stage, and showing off in the best possible way.
Bravissimo! Waterfront Theatre School.
What: Something Rotten!
Where and when: Artscape Arena from 10 to 18 July 2026
Tickets: Webtickets
WS
