QUIZZ – SOMETHING ROTTEN! | English Theatre Frankfurt

1. After being too late for Richard the II, what does Nigel want the Bottom brothers´ next play to be about?

The love story of Nick and Bea

The life story of the two brothers

Queen Elizabeth

The Black Death

2. Why does Nick dislike Shakespeare?

Nick thinks he is everything but a genius writer and that his plays are too wordy.

He finds Shakespeare to be a mediocre actor at best.

He is jealous of his popularity.

Shakespeare has stolen Nick´s old flame from him when they were still working together as actors.

3. Describe which sentence describes Shylock best.

He is a moneylender who works with Nostradamus to trick the Bottom Brothers into producing a huge and expensive play.

He is a Puritan who sees the devil in all of the arts.

He is jealous of his popularity.

He is a lover of the arts and wants to play a role in Nick´s new play.

4. Nick takes money out of his and Bea’s money box. Why?

To buy a gift for Bea

To buy a cottage in the country

To finance his new play

To pay a soothsayer – Thomas Nostradamus

5. Who inspires Nick to write a musical?

Michel de Nostradame

Nigel

Thomas Nostradamus

Bea

6. Nick and Nigel end up losing Lord Clapham as their patron. Why does he remove his patronage?

He wants to sponsor Shakespeare instead.

He has a fight with Nick about Bea.

He is afraid the Puritans who hate the idea of musicals.

He runs out of money.

7. Bea wants to make some extra money. Why is she not allowed to act in Nick’s play?

She is bad at acting.

Nick does not want her to work because of his male ego.

It was illegal for women to be on stage at the time.

Nick is afraid she will attract other men and leave him.

8. Brother Jeremiah is a Puritan and he despises the theatre. Why?

Men dress up as women and kiss other men on stage.

He finds it unfair that women are not allowed to act.

He is a failed actor.

He is involved in a personal feud with William Shakespeare.

9. Nigel falls in love with a Puritan called Portia. What do the two of them have in common?

They both have strict parents.

They both love poetry.

They are both Puritans.

They both hate Shakespeare.

10. Bea disguises herself as a man to earn better wages. What job does she take on?

Acting

Teaching

Collecting bear feces

Writing poetry

11. Nigel attends Shakespeare’s party with Portia. Why did Shakespeare invite him?

He was impressed with the sonnet Nigel sent to him.

He wants to make amends and regain his friendship with Nick.

He wants to steal Nigel’s lines and ideas.

He wants to collaborate with Nigel.

12. What does Shakespeare find out from his spy?

Nick is stealing an idea that he himself would have had in the future

He finds out that Nick allowed the Jew Shylock to be the Bottom brothers´ sponsor

He finds out that Nigel loves him and would like nothing more than Shakespeare returning to their troupe.

He finds out that Nicks wife Bea is pregnant with his (Shakespeare´s) child

13. Shakespeare disguises himself as an actor and takes a part in Nick’s play. Why?

He misses working with his old colleague Nick.

He despises the fame and wants to be anonymous for once.

He adores the Bottom brothers’ work.

He wants to steal the Bottom brothers’ play.

14. Who tells Nigel to write from the heart?

Portia

Bea

Brother Jeremiah

His father

15. Brother Jeremiah discovers that his daughter is in a love affair with Nigel Bottom. What does he catch the two of them doing?

Dancing

Singing

Kissing

Acting

16. Why does Nick insist that the play must be breakfast-themed?

Breakfast is his favourite meal.

Eggs are the perfect symbol for life.

Nostradamus foresaw that “Omelette” would be Shakepeare´s biggest hit.

It is a compromise offered to Nigel who wants the musical to be about their lives. Eggs remind Nick of their childhood.

17. Nick and Nigel end up in court for their musical. What stops the Master of Justice from sentencing them to death?

He secretly loved the musical.

Shakespeare threatens to write a play about the event and portray him badly.

He is generally opposed to the death penalty.

Shakespeare confesses that he has stolen ideas and lines from Nigel Bottom and creates a greater scandal over which the egg musical is quickly forgotten.

18. What are the Bottom brothers sentenced to instead of the death penalty?

They are banished from England and have to go to America.

They are sent into exile in Scotland.

They are not allowed to ever put on a play again.

They have to publicly apologize for their offensive portrayal of eggs.

19. In America, people are excited to see the Bottom brothers’ musical. What is the story they end up being successful with?

Omelette – The Musical

Hamlet

Their life story

The Black Death