Something Rotten Succeeds

Jack Ewer

Staff Writer

On the evening of Fri. April 25, members of the Assumption community had the pleasure to attend the Greyhound Theater’s first ever production and Assumption’s first full theatrical performance in over 20 years. Directed by freshman Westin Michaud, ‘Something Rotten’ was a spectacle in every meaning of the word, with massive dance numbers, witty monologues, and singing. The ensemble succeeded not only in telling the story but telling it in entertaining fashion.

The musical centers on a pair of playwright brothers, the Bottoms, who want to take on and be the ever-impressive William Shakespeare. The play is neither historically accurate nor meant to be taken seriously as the dialogue is choked full of asynchronous theatrical references and entendres. 

William Shakespeare is one of the greatest playwrights of any era, but Shakespeare in this production is portrayed by Landon Gibbs and he was amazing. However great the performance was, he is still a plagiarizing phony, and the antagonist of the play. Viewers of this production could be under the impression that this alternate version of Shakespeare is one of their favorite antagonists of all time, and the song that he was singing while entering the stage, ‘Will Power’ is still stuck in my head and many others.

Brother Jeremiah, who is another antagonizing force in the play, was hilarious, and Lucas Audette playing this character brought a physically hilarious performance to the production. 

Members of the community want to applaud the production for choosing ‘Something Rotten’ for their first production. They could have chosen something safe, like a classic Disney production, but they chose a self-aware satire. To start a theatrical company with a musical about musicals is just fun. 

Additionally, the Curtis Performing Hall – while a marvelous hall – was not designed with intentions for theatrical productions. Had no one mentioned the fact prior to the performance, no one would’ve had any idea.

Levying very few critiques and none of them were even close to ruining the play. First, that the ensemble was small, but the community is sure it will only grow after such a successful production and even further, the actors themselves should be praised for rapid turnover times and knowing different roles. 

The second criticism worth mentioning is that the sound mixing made it difficult to hear the actual singing in some scenes. The company should be given more time in the future to better mix the sound, and having this experience behind them, the future will be brighter.

Greyhound Theatre kicked off the return of theatre to Assumption with an amazing performance and this small college community is so happy to see what they have planned for the future.  It will be impossible to imagine this campus without a theatre company.