Review: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum….
Monday, April 20, 2015
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| Photo courtesy Driftwood Players |
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, By Larry Gelbart and Stephen Sondheim, Directed by Martin Mackenzie, Edmonds Driftwood Players, April 17-May 10, 2015
Review by Victoria Gilleland
You might guess that Forum is set in Rome 2000 years ago, but not realize what wild and crazy entertainment this musical comedy offers! Pseudolus, a slave, tries to win his freedom by helping his young master, Hero, win the hand of a beautiful, but dim-witted courtesan named Philia. There are cases of mistaken identity, twisted plots, acrobats, an outlandish chase scene and a fake funeral all expertly delivered in vaudevillian style with lots of laughs.
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| Photo courtesy Driftwood Players |
This hilarious comedy is full of characters so aptly named and so extreme in their personalities and demeanor that match those names, that the audience knows they’ve met these very people before. They may even have seen them looking back at them in the mirror from time to time!
As Director Mackenzie says, “Hysterium is hysterical. Hero is the hero. Philia is beautiful. Domina is domineering. Pseudolus is …. well …. not very forthright.” These characters are fabulous, but one of my favorites is Miles Gloriosus, a swaggering soldier who marches into Rome declaring “I am a parade!” He is accompanied by a troop of four “soldiers” who are extremely creative and do a fabulous job entertaining the audience with their zany antics alongside Gloriosus and in diverse roles throughout the play.
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| Photo courtesy Driftwood Players |
The music will be familiar to many and includes “Comedy Tonight,” “Lovely,” and “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid.”
Plan a night out at Edmonds Driftwood Players. Even if something funny doesn’t happen to you on the way there, I guarantee rollicking, light hearted entertainment when you arrive!
Edmonds Driftwood Players 306 Main Street, Edmonds 98020, 425-774-9600.
Tickets online. Run ends May 10, 2015.
Corrected name of character Miles Gloriosus 04-21-2015 9:02am
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2 comments:
Great...except it's Miles Gloriosus. Perhaps get a name correct. Still...a great show, wonderful cast, fantastic singing and dancing! The courtesans and the proteans just add to the show. Pseudolus is superb. The band (and music direction my Mark and Nancy Press is worth the drachma to come see and hear the show!
Nice comments, except get the names right. It's Miles Gloriosus, and he is truly great. To note are the courtesans and the proteans, as well as Pseudolus. Honestly, there is no weak link in the entire cast. Show is amazing!
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