We talk to the Court Theatre’s Artistic Director about staging Something Rotten! and stepping into the role.
This show is the biggest choreographed musical The Court has done. No pressure then? We love a challenge! Shows like this are possible because of the fantastic talent and dedication of our artists and production team. Kira Josephson choreographed this production – she is also the intimacy choreographer and swing – and has done superb work. It’s a huge undertaking but one that she has embraced—in some ways, it’s a choreographer’s dream.
What can the audience expect? A celebration of theatre and musicals! This musical is so generous. It has a cast of 23 plus live musicians, fabulous design and big, glorious dance numbers, as well as plenty of comedy. It is also packed to the brim with Renaissance, Shakespearean and musical theatre references. It’s full of gems for theatre lovers but is also very accessible. It’s smart; it’s silly; it’s lush. Basically, this musical is determined to entertain you.
You must be proud to be performing the musical for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere – how did that come about? We are! As a professional producing company, The Court Theatre is one of the few theatres that can mount a production such as this and it’s so exciting to be able to bring this show to Aotearoa audiences for the first time. We knew we loved the musical and so applied for the rights.
Anything else about the production you are particularly pleased about? There’s so much! I think we have the right people bringing this show to life. The director Benjamin Kilby-Henson, music director Richard Marrett, choreographer Kira Josephson, set designer Dan Williams and costume designer Tina Hutchison-Thomas all just really get this show and have collaborated beautifully. And then we also have lighting design by Darren McKane and sound design by Glen Ruske, along with wigs by Zoe Buckland and props created by our wonderful properties manager, Julian Southgate. These are all such highly skilled people. And the cast is phenomenal. We have students from NASDA in the ensemble, alongside performers such as Paul Barrett, Jonathan Martin, Cameron Douglas, Matu Ngaropo (fresh off touring as George Washington in Hamilton), Monique Clementson and Bianca Paine—to name just a few!
How does your own stamp reveal itself in the production? Any artistic tweaks? Ben and the creative team have made this production their own. I wouldn’t describe anything as ‘tweaks’ since they are inspired by and stay true to the book and lyrics, but the overall direction, design concept and choreography are all original – aside from some delightful, obligatory moments of homage to well-known Broadway musicals.
It’s a big cast – does that make things more challenging all by itself? Yes and no. It adds to the scale, but this cast are also such professionals and collaborators—we have all loved working with them.
Judging from the rehearsal photos, looks like everyone is having fun. I think so! It has been a pretty joyous process.
You have been Artistic Director for a year now – is it what you thought it would be? I don’t know what I thought it would be! I really enjoy working with artists throughout the year and have immense appreciation for the entire Court company. I’m around a lot of dedicated people who possess a great deal of knowledge and a love for theatre.
What is in store for The Court Theatre in 2024? We’ll be launching the Ryman Healthcare 2024 Final Season in the Shed on 10 December. We’re calling 2024 the year to celebrate art and entertainment.
How’s things looking with the new building? It’s exciting every day to see the building progress. It’s going to be so fantastic to be in the heart of the city, and a purpose-built theatre with multiple and flexible performance spaces opens up artistic possibilities as well as great spaces for community engagement.