Regional Tryout | Manchester, UK | Opera House Manchester) | Opened June 16, 2026 (Investment)

Creative Team

The fully staged UK premiere of the Broadway hit Something Rotten! features an upbeat pop-rock score by brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, with a hilarious book co-written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell. This production is directed and choreographed by Tim Jackson (Two Strangers), featuring set designs by Colin Richmond, costumes by Rebecca Brower, and lighting by Howard Hudson.

Synopsis

Set in London in 1595 during the English Renaissance, the musical follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, two struggling playwrights desperate to find a theatrical hit while living in the shadow of the insufferably pompous, rockstar-like poet William Shakespeare. In a fit of desperation, Nick visits a local soothsayer, Thomas Nostradamus, to predict what the future of theater will look like. Nostradamus foretells a wild new artistic form where actors sing, dance, and speak all at the same time. Armed with this bizarre insight, the Bottom brothers set out to write the world's very first musical.

Broadway Background

Long before crossing the Atlantic, the musical originally opened at Broadway's St. James Theatre on April 22, 2015. A massive commercial and critical success, the original New York production ran for 742 performances, launched a major multi-year North American tour, and received ten Tony Award nominations—with Christian Borle winning Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his iconic, rock-star portrayal of Shakespeare.

Production History

Following a highly acclaimed, sold-out concert staging at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2024, the property was expanded into a brand-new, fully realized staging. The show launched its official Pre-West End regional tryout at the Manchester Opera House on June 16, 2026, playing a highly successful, limited five-week engagement through July 19, 2026. This strictly limited run serves as the official launching pad ahead of a planned transfer to London's West End.

Cast Highlights

The UK premiere company brings together an elite lineup of beloved British television personalities and musical theater royalty:

• The Bottom Brothers: Beloved English comedian and theater icon Jason Manford (The Producers) anchors the show as the deeply frustrated Nick Bottom, starring alongside Cassius Hackforth as his poetic brother Nigel.

• The Bard: West End favorite Richard Fleeshman (Ghost) commands the stage as the leather-clad, arrogant William Shakespeare.

• The Supporting Stars: Two-time Olivier Award nominee Marisha Wallace (Guys & Dolls) stars as Nick's progressive wife Bea, alongside Cory English as the eccentric Nostradamus and Carla Dixon-Hernandez as Portia.

Awards Recognition

Before even mounting this fully staged Manchester tryout, the show's initial 2024 London concert iteration proved to be a massive industry favorite, winning the coveted WhatsOnStage Award for Best Concert Event.