Ratatouille is a masterpiece, and just like Shrek, Legally Blonde and Frozen, it too deserves a musical theatre adaptation. Luckily for us, that’s exactly what the geniuses on TikTok have started working on.
Without any outside direction or coordination, young singers, songwriters, dancers and actors on have been working on musical numbers which, when combined, should hopefully form the Ratatouille musical we all crave so badly.
“Remy, the Ratatouille, the rat of all my dreams,” goes the theme song, apparently.
“I praise you, oh Ratatouille, may the world remember… your name!”
@e_jaccsA love ballad ##remy ##rat ##ratatoille ##disney ##wdw ##disneyworld ##ratlove ##ratlife ##rats ##Alphets ##StanleyCup ##CanYouWorkIt♬ Ode to Remy – Em Jaccs
It all started when Em Jaccs came up with this catchy tune way back in August.
“So I had been reading an article about the new Ratatouille ride [at Walt Disney World Resort],” she told Broadway World.
“Using the article as inspiration, I just began singing this on-the-spot song around my house about Remy.
“I found it particularly catchy and couldn’t get it out of my mind, so I decided to post a funny slideshow compilation of Remy with my song in the background.”
Come October, fellow TikTok user Daniel Mertzlufft made an ensemble version that was prefect for musical theatre. The rest is history.
@danieljmertzlufftRemy: The Musical OG Song @e_jaccs add. Vocals @cjaskier ##remy ##ratatouille ##musicaltheatre ##broadway ##singer ##musical ##disney ##fyp ##disneymusicals♬ original sound – danieljmertzlufft
Yes the original theme music from Ratatouille (2007) already slaps. But this is somehow even better.
Things really kicked into gear in November, with TikTokers writing music, singing lyrics and even devising staging for what might be the first ever collaborative musical about a rat.
Of course, everyone brought out their best French accent for Collette and their best gittery demeanor for Linguini.
@aaacacia_##duet with @blakeyrouse sorry for the lack of enthusiasm but i was trying to remember it ##WeWinTogether ##fyp ##ratatouillemusical ##musical ##singer ##fyp♬ original sound – Yay Blake Rouse!!
Thanks to duets, ideas for lyrics are constantly being turned into fully-fledged musical numbers, complete with original set design.
@shoeboxmusicals##duet with @rjthecomposer & @momopeach02 thought I’d add to your little duet! ##realsetmodel ##ratatouillethemusical ##collab ##theater ##lightingdesign♬ original sound – Shoebox Musicals
Others are using the duet feature to create actual duets.
@roggenbrot##duet with @rjisspiraling I’m never posting a vid of me singing ever again ???? ##fyp ##foryou ##theatre ##ratatouille ##ratatouillethemusical ##remy ##musical♬ Anyone Can Cook – RJ Christian
Meanwhile, dancers are also getting in on the act.
@brandon_powers##duet with @bowlingforsnails wait for the build (and use your imagination for the knife ???? ????) ##ratatouille ##ratatouillemusical♬ original sound – Genevieve
The main dilemma that’s been dividing the TikTok Ratatouille musical community is whether Remy should be a puppet or played by a human.
One solution is to employ both techniques, as demonstrated below:
@msfashionbunnyIt’s a bit ruff, but you get the idea @ratatouillemusical ##ratatouille ##ratatouillemusical ##setdesign ##remytherat ##musicaltheatre♬ Ratatouille – Les sourds-doués
The trend isn’t just limited to theatrics, either.
Check out this stunning logo that’s better than even the original movie poster.
@siswijThe ##ratatouillemusical marketing department is brainstorming visuals ##playbill ##musicaltheatre ##remytheratatouille ##photoshop ##graphicdesign♬ original sound – danieljmertzlufft
Now TikToker and IRL actor/director/designer Josh Lloyd has even been created a dedicated account to coordinate some kind of cohesive staging of this collaborative, decentralised future classic.
@ratatouillemusical##ratatouillethemusical ##ratatouillemusical ##musicaltheatre ##broadway ##disney ##ratatouille ##theatre♬ Coming of Age – Blondes
Even Patton Oswalt (who voiced Remy in the movie) and the movie’s director, Brad Bird, have been chatting about the project on Twitter, and they love it.
My…God…@BradBirdA113 have you SEEN this?!?!? https://t.co/Ts7MymEBLb
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) November 15, 2020
It’s rare for a children’s movie to be both lauded by critics and universally adored by an entire generation.
For that movie to not only have meme potential, but for that meme to come full-circle and end up as a collective act of devotion to the rat we love so dearly is something very, very special.
Ratatouille shows us that anyone can cook. Now Ratatouille, The Musical is proving that anyone can be creative, too.
