Nigel Bottom

## Character Summary

Nigel Bottom is Nick's brother. He helps collaborate on their projects and ends up leaving the development of Omelette: The Musical. He is responsible for creating verse that spark We See the Light and tries to convince his brother to use them in To Thine Own Self. He is a sweetly naive, awkward writer and poet. He's known to be a huge fan of Shakespeare, contrasting his brother, Nick. He falls in love with Portia and ultimately finds confidence in himself through art and love.

## Story

##### **Act One**

Nigel makes his first appearance in a scene where Nick's acting group is rehearsing for their upcoming production of *Richard II*. Nigel reacts with excitement rather than Nick's rage when their patron, Lord Clapham, reveals that Shakespeare is writing *Richard II*. Lord Clapham informs them that unless they have another play idea by the following morning, he will stop their funding, and he then departs. In the song "God, I Hate Shakespeare" when Nick is ranting to Nigel and the troupe about how Shakespeare shouldn't be as well-known as he should be, Nigel keeps interrupting with his own thoughts about Shakespeare's skill as a writer, which seem to be largely positive.

When the brothers get home, much to Nick's chagrin, Nigel informs Bea that their play has been canceled. Bea describes how she can assist him and Nigel responds that she is usually right, and in response Nick tells him to shut up and eat his cabbage ("Right Hand Man"). Following the events of the song, Nick reminds Nigel that they have a play to prepare for tomorrow. This causes Nigel to become anxious, and Nick comforts him. After that, Nigel quickly falls asleep.

After running into Portia, the daughter of a puritan named Brother Jeremiah, Nigel immediately tells Nick how in love he is with her. After making a speech about how theater corrupts the mind, the puritans depart, and Nick tells Nigel what the soothsayer, Nostradamus, said while presenting it as being his own idea.

Nick tells Nigel that they should do a musical. Nigel suggests that they hold a play called "The Brothers From Cornwall", the story of the brother's lives, which Nick shows distaste for. Nick says that it should be bigger, much more grandiose ideas, barreling into a presentation to Lord Clapham ("The Black Death"). Lord Clapham is disgusted, and after puritans storm into the Bottom brother's theater saying that music is a sin, he becomes frightened and deserts the troupe.

Nigel meets with Portia, who was in disguise while reciting a poem he wrote, and they bond over their love of poetry and writing ("I Love The Way"). Shortly after, they are invited by Shakespeare's messenger to a recitation in the park, which Nigel shows great excitement for. They attend the play ("Will Power"), and the after-party.

Nigel and Portia shout enthusiastically about the playwrights and authors present at the party, with Portia claiming that Nigel shares their talent. Shakespeare approaches Nigel and a tipsy Portia and expresses interest in his notebook, containing his writing. As soon as Shakespeare takes Nigel's notebook, he starts reading aloud from it to the crowd. Nick quickly bursts into the after-party with Shylock in tow and takes the notebook away, and says that Nigel's writing would soon be recognized as Shakespeare's writing, implying that he would plagiarize his works. For his ignorance, Nick chastises Nigel.

Puritans soon storm the after-party, with everyone but Nick, Nigel, and Portia running away. Then, Brother Jeremiah enters and finds Portia drunk, yelling that she said she would be reading her bible. He reprimands Nigel, and Nigel quickly runs away from Nick to get Portia back.

##### **Act Two**

With Shylock as their new investor, the troupe is now rehearsing for a production of Nick and Nigel's newest production, *Omelette: The Musical* ("It's Eggs!"). Nigel expresses his doubts if it would become successful, and how he couldn't even understand a thing, despite being the writer. Nigel goes to visit Portia, and Portia tells him to write from his heart instead of listening to what his brother says, and imagine a world where their relationship would be accepted by Portia's community and Nick ("We See The Light").

They kiss, and Brother Jeremiah finds them. He takes Portia away, threatening to bring her to Scotland, and Nigel cries, attempting to chase after the puritans dragging Portia away until Brother Jeremiah stops him. Brother Jeremiah threatens Nigel, and Nigel uses his emotions as the catalyst for a new play.

They have a heated argument ("To Thine Own Self") after Nick receives Nigel's new play, which is later revealed to be Hamlet. Nick resumes working on Omelette by himself after Nigel departs from the group. Toby Belch, who is Shakespeare in disguise, chases after Nigel. He expresses his regret of not having read much of the play's writing, and departs. Nigel starts crying, lamenting about how he's failed Portia. Shakespeare, out of disguise, approaches Nigel and offers to read his script. Shakespeare lies and tells Nigel that his story was full of cliche's, and tells him about how everyone's lined up to see *Omelette: The Musical*. He tells Nigel to *"write his omelette"*, and leaves.

Nigel sits on a bench alone, and eventually Bea passes by with other women, talking about they gave her gifts for her future child and labor. Bea notices that Nigel is upset, and waves the women away, sitting beside him on the bench. She talks about how he should help his brother, and how Nick would help him if they had swapped positions ("Right Hand Man (Reprise)"). Nigel agrees to help.

They perform "Make an Omelette", a number with numerous references to contemporary musicals (like *The Lion King* and *The Phantom of the Opera*). Shakespeare takes off his disguise toward the end of the song and sues the brothers. The group is horrified to learn that Nostradamus is a soothsayer, as is Nigel. Nigel feels betrayed, and expresses this to Nick. He runs off-stage, upset about the revelation.

While Nick, Nigel, Shylock, and Nostradamus are in court, they're all sentenced to beheading. In a twist of events, Bea appears, disguised as an old lawyer, and Nick apologizes to both Nigel and Bea ("To Thine Own Self (Reprise)"). Bea turns the tides of their case by inviting Shakespeare to the trial, who convinces the judge to have them "banish-eaded" to America instead as part of a deal he and Bea had. Having escaped the tower, Portia then shows up and rushes to Nigel. She rejects the principles of her father and departs with Nostradamus, the Bottoms, and Shylock in exile.

In *"Finale"*, they tell the audience of the new opportunities in the New World after arriving in the country. The group learns that *Hamlet*, the newest masterpiece by William Shakespeare, has just opened.

## Appearances

1. God, I Hate Shakespeare (Minor)
2. Right Hand Man (Minor)
3. I Love The Way (Major)
4. We See the Light (Minor)
5. To Thine Own Self (Major)
6. To Thine Own Self (Reprise) (Minor)
7. Finale (Major)

## Cast

**Broadway**

 2017-2018

## Trivia

* Nigel is the only major character not based on an existing Shakespeare character, excluding the bard himself.
* Nigel has a cut out song from the musical named "I Suck". It showcases how he sees himself as an untalented and worthless writer, self-deprecating himself.