A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Reston Community Players

Photo credits: Chip Gertzog

In the market for a tragedy?

That’s tomorrow… it’s nothing but comedy tonight at Reston Community Players’s production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum!

Whether they gave an absurd accusation or a slap to their neighbor’s rear, no cast member missed a beat when it came to the slapstick nature of this production. 

So, what exactly was the “Funny Thing” that Happened on the way to the Forum (hereafter referred to as “Forum”)?

I could give at least 50 different answers, but instead, I’ll just leave it to your imagination--and the plot summary, of course.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Forum was Sondheim’s third Broadway production, and the first where he wrote both the music and the lyrics. It debuted in 1962, and managed to win six Tony Awards--though none were for Sondheim’s music or lyrics, considering he was still an up-and-comer in the industry. It also ran for 964 performances, which is the longest original Broadway run of any Sondheim musical to date.

All this to say, the people certainly loved a farce.

For five years, bookwriters Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart teamed up with Sondeheim to adapt material from Platus--a Roman playwright from 3rd century BCE--into a script. The result was Forum: a winding story chock full of twists and turns.

Forum follows the intersecting activity of three houses: the house of Erronius, an old man whose children had long since been stolen by pirates; the house of Marcus Lycus, a purveyor of Rome’s most beautiful courtesans; and the house of Senex, a senator who lives with his controlling wife Domina, their innocent son Hero, and slaves Pseudolus and Hysterium. Pseudolus belongs to Hero, and longs for his freedom--upon observing that Hero has fallen head over heels for Philia, a virgin courtesan from the House of Lycus, he decides to strike a bargain. What ensues is a farce, involving mistaken identities, slapstick violence, a chaotic chase sequence…basically any and all comedy 101 scenarios you’d learn in a theater class. 

Now, let’s see how these performers and crew members took to the task!

This Production

From the get-go, I was blown away by Dan and Sheila Widerski’s gorgeous set. They always go above and beyond, and this one was no exception. The three towering houses took the main focus, each with multiple floors and windows for actors to peek through. And yet, each was so intricate in its own detail: The House of Erronius even had a scupper, a decorative Roman water spout, that constantly dispensed water over a flower bed. Marble statues were scattered around the stage, and creatively covered with leaves (except for a handful of cheeky moments). Thanks to Eva Thorpe, Clara Hoch, and Claire Walsh, there was a slew of Roman-inspired costumes to match; with clever color coordination for each house. 

Of course, it’d be a crime to put on a Sondheim production without a pit orchestra--luckily, conductor/music director James Maxted and the Forum orchestra saved the day. They did an impressive job providing lush accompaniment to on-stage moments. While the score isn’t the usual dark, complex Sondheim we’ve come to know, Forum’s farcical nature pairs best with the classic vaudeville styles; a lighter soundtrack, which better fits this lighter comedy. 

I mean, picture Sweeney Todd with jazz hands and a kickline. Not quite my tempo.

All this to say, the orchestra and crew expertly executed the grand style of Forum. Now, who were the players to act alongside it?

Performances

Steve Cairns began the show in the role of Prologus, by cheerfully greeting the audience with news of a “Comedy Tonight.” With the help of his skillfully versatile Proteans (Andie Matten, Garrett Tucker, Rachel Lily Donders, and Glen Bartram), Cairns comically led the audience through the Roman tale they’re about to witness: one in which he also portrays Pseudolus, Hero’s mischievous slave. And, trust me, Cairns never once missed an opportunity to play up Forum’s slapstick moments, especially when it came to the courtesans of the House of Marcus Lycus: Syd Austin, Mikaela Fenn, Alexandra Buck, Sophie Dollery (McKinley Seale at this reviewer’s performance), Kendall Mostafavi, and Weston Weber; led by delightfully kooky Susan Kronenberg and Karey Hart in the roles of Lycus and Alma Mater.

Hysterically playing opposite Cairns was Ryan Rigazzi in the role of Hysterium: chief slave of the Senex house, and no stranger to cartoonish fits of panic. He cheerfully sang through gritted teeth in “Calm,” but didn’t necessarily take his own advice: Rigazzi incited roars of laughter in his resulting mad dash around the stage.

Meanwhile, Brian Ash and Cathy Gurson were Senex and Domina; the proper rulers of the Senex house. Ash was positively cheeky in numbers like “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid,” while Gurson showcased luxurious vocals and gravitas in “Dirty Old Man.” Their son Hero, portrayed by Alejandro Cahoon, brimmed with hopeful naivete at any mention of romance. In “Love, I Hear,” Cahoon’s velvety golden-age vocals illustrated a portrait of the pining young Hero--and set just the right bait for Pseudolous to catch. Philia, the subject of Hero’s attraction, was gleefully brought to life by Caitlin Costello, with sing-song vocals that effectively captured Philia’s girlish innocence.

With a cast of characters like this, it’s easy to see how things might go haywire; especially under Michael Barret Jones’s skillful direction, which really played up the non-stop comedy.

But, wait! There’s more!

Spence J. Pilcher immediately commanded attention as Miles Gloriosus, a renowned conqueror who yearned to take Philia as his bride. From booming baritone vocals to an unwavering stature, Pilcher crafted an intimidating character; though he didn’t shy away from blubbering like a baby at the right moments. Erronius, played by Scott J. Strasbaugh, was just as memorable a character. Each one of his hilarious trudges around the seven hills of Rome--and across the stage--sent fits of laughter through the audience.

Who is it For?

Forum is for any lover of farces, Greco-Roman panache, Sondheim, or all three!

I’d recommend this production for audience members ages 10 and older; this show relies on a heavy dosage of innuendos for its humor, both spoken and shown, but never to an explicit degree (...if you don’t count statue nudity, that is).

Also, I think it’s important to reiterate the time period Forum is supposed to represent: the 3rd century BCE, and the time it was written in: the 1960s. In short, women were depicted quite differently than they are today, and a number of the jokes are representative of the show’s time. That doesn’t mean everything is outdated--power usurpations and romantic misadventures are certainly still tropes today--but it’s a layer of context worth taking into account.

So, tired of tragedy? Book your tickets for a comedy tonight! Forum runs until Saturday, May 9th at the Reston Community Center; there’s plenty of opportunities to grab a seat.

Visit restonplayers.org for tickets and more information.