Review: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

In the summer of 2006, the Lake Superior Theatre in Marquette, Michigan, presented the musical comedy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Carol and I recently had the opportunity to watch a DVD of the show.

"Based on the comedies of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus, it tells the story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by encouraging the romance between his master's son Hero and a young virgin named Philia who is owned by Marcus Lycus, a dealer in courtesans, and promised to a swaggering soldier named Miles Gloriosus. The humor is broad and bawdy and fast-paced."

If you've never seen Forum and you enjoy musical theatre, do yourself a big favor and catch a local show some time. Forum is a very funny farce written by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart (who would go on to help create the TV show M*A*S*H), with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Much of the humor in the play hearkens back to vaudeville routines. The music is fun and boisterous.

The Lake Superior Theatre production faced a large challenge in that while the show requires only one set, three houses on an open courtyard, there is a large cast of players constantly moving back and forth (and even up and down on occasion), straining the small stage to its limits. To be sure, a few bits, including the classic "left-right-left-right" marching joke were strangled by the size of the stage, but that they were able to pull off this show in an operational boathouse is pretty amazing.

With most local theatre, the cast can be hit or miss. To my happy surprise, the cast was almost universally good, with a few standouts. And, again almost without exception, the vocal talents of the cast were excellent.

Hero and Philia, played by Tony Pruett and Emily Muscoe, respectively, were young, cute and vulnerable. While critical to the plot, these roles are mostly played straight and are usually thankless. Both Pruett and Muscoe were fresh and enjoyable.

Undoubtedly, the most difficult role is that of the hysterical head slave, Hysterium. An actor really has to give his all to the role or risk coming across as half-baked or ironically detached. Brian Elliott did an excellent job of constant befrazzlement and the audience clearly enjoyed his energetic performance. His interactions with Pseudolus, especially, were very funny.

The most unusual casting choice was Gary Morse as the uber-Roman-warrior, Miles Gloriosus. Usually the role is played by some huge football-player type who struts across the stage oozing utter strength and arrogance. By the looks of the cast, no one of that body type was available. Morse, an older balding gentleman, did convey a certain measure of command and it was reasonably easy to imagine him as an aging Roman general. Unfortunately, while his singing voice was good, he didn't quite have the pure volume and "boom" needed for the role. I'd be really interested in seeing him in a different role in another show.

Finally, there is the heart and soul of the show, the yearning-to-be-free slave, Pseudolus, played by Jeff Spencer. Of large girth and larger heart, Pseudolus must be conniving yet sympathetic, the center around which the madness of the show turns. If Pseudolus isn't played well, the structure falls apart and chaos ensues.

Spencer was more than equal to the task. Spencer's energy, excellent comic timing and great singing voice kept the show focused, moving, and very funny. As it should be, his was easily the best performance in the show. He was a delight every time he was on stage. (Hmm, let me see if I can gay that down a bit. How about, Jeff was awesome? Yeah, that worked.)

If you live in Marquette, Michigan, about two years ago, this is a must-see show!