If you have been on TikTok in the past few months, there is no doubt you will have heard of a musical number that sings its praises to a fuzzy little rodent- and no, I’m not talking about the rat that may (or may not) live at the bottom of the cupboard in your friend’s flat.
Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical has quickly become a phenomenon that seemingly sprang from nowhere straight into the hands of Broadway director Lucy Moss. The hit soon became a celebrity-endorsed charity musical, streaming live on Disney+ at the beginning of January.
But where did all this start?
Emily Jacobsen, a 26-year-old teacher from the U.S. (found on TikTok as @e_jaccs) uploaded a short video to the social platform in August 2020, based off the well-known film Ratatouille. The much-loved character 'Remy the Rat' was being ‘praised’ in a catchy tune that many found stuck in their heads, catching the attention of composer Daniel J. Mertzlufft (@danieljmertzlufft). He soon got to work on the track, incorporating the original comedic element of the short clip into something which could have sprung straight out of, well, Disney!
A swelling choral ending supported by a full orchestral arrangement plunged this one-off tune into prominent popularity on TikTok’s algorithm, with these final few bars quickly bringing the possibility of a full musical into light. From that point, participation spiralled.
Every musical theatre fanatic, professional and aspiring creative alike, appeared to be getting involved in what seemed to be in the blink of an eye. There was a ‘Ratatouille tango’ (created by 17-year-old student @blakeyrouse) written and produced to such a high level that the feisty French character Colette would not have seemed out of place on a Broadway stage; an entire set design created to flow flawlessly between fan-produced songs and even a fake playbill, which looked like the real deal, entered the public sphere.
But with all these participants creating such intricate and well-made pieces of art for an unofficial and unpaid musical, we must ask the question- why?
It could be said that the generation who largely populate TikTok are hungry for the nostalgia of their childhood - a feeling only encouraged by the steady stream of Disney live-action remakes and long-awaited sequels being pumped out to the public. Especially in a time where the world could not be any more different from the one they grew up in.
There is also a high degree of accessibility for this musical, only requiring a smartphone to view, compared to the often-exorbitant costs of theatre tickets. Particularly if the show is on Broadway!
Regardless of the reason for the overwhelming positive response towards Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, it is clear that there are countless talented artists existing and creating on the TikTok platform. From this, there launches an exciting possibility of more collaborative musicals arising from the ‘for you page’ into the homes of those who may not otherwise give musical theatre a fighting chance.
Edited by Hannah Youds