A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum | |
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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart.
Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (254–184 BC), specifically Curculio, Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus, and Mostellaria, the musical tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The plot displays many classic elements of farce, including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity (frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from a line often used by vaudeville comedians to begin a story: "A funny thing happened on the way to the theater".
The musical's original 1962
Productions
Original Broadway
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opened on Broadway on May 8, 1962, at the Alvin Theatre, and then transferred to the Mark Hellinger Theatre and the Majestic Theatre, where the show closed on August 29, 1964, after 964 performances and 8 previews.
The show's creators sought Phil Silvers for the lead role of Pseudolus, but he turned them down, allegedly because he would have to perform onstage without his glasses, and his vision was so poor that he feared tripping into the orchestra pit. He is also quoted as turning down the role for being "Sgt. Bilko in a toga". (Silvers eventually played the role – wearing his glasses – in a 1972 revival. In the film, he played Marcus Lycus.) Milton Berle also passed on the role. Eventually, Zero Mostel was cast.[1]
During out-of-town tryouts the show attracted little business and did not play well. Jerome Robbins, to whom the show had originally been offered but who turned it down, was called in to give advice and make changes. In the interim, Joshua Logan was invited to direct, but according to Sondheim was rejected "because he wanted too much male nudity." It was then offered to veteran director George Abbott, who found it to be difficult to handle alone. The biggest change Robbins made was adding a new opening number to replace "Love Is in the Air" and introduce the show as a bawdy, wild comedy. Stephen Sondheim wrote the song "Comedy Tonight" for this new opening.[1] From that point on, the show was a success.
It was directed by
The show won six
London
The show was presented twice in London's
In 2004 there was a limited-run revival at the
Motion picture adaptation
Both Mostel and Gilford re-created their Broadway roles for the 1966 musical film directed by Richard Lester. Leon Greene reprised his West End role (Miles Gloriosus), while Phil Silvers portrayed Lycus, Michael Crawford portrayed Hero, and Michael Hordern played Senex. Buster Keaton made his final film appearance in the role of Erronius.
Broadway revivals
A revival opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on April 4, 1972, and closed on August 12, 1972, after 156 performances. Directed by co-author Burt Shevelove the cast starred Phil Silvers as Pseudolus (later replaced by Tom Poston), Lew Parker as Senex, Carl Ballantine as Lycus and Reginald Owen as Erronius. Larry Blyden, who played Hysterium, the role created by Jack Gilford, also co-produced.[6] "Pretty Little Picture" and "That'll Show Him" were dropped from the show, and were replaced with "Echo Song" (sung by Hero and Philia), and "Farewell" (added for Nancy Walker as Domina, as she and Senex depart for the country). "Echo Song" and "Farewell" had been added to a production staged in Los Angeles the previous year and were composed by Sondheim. They had to close soon after Phil Silvers suffered a stroke. The show won two Tony Awards, Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Silvers, and Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Blyden.[6]
The musical was revived again with great success in 1996, opening at the St. James Theatre on April 18, 1996, and closing on January 4, 1998, after 715 performances. The cast starred Nathan Lane as Pseudolus (replaced by Whoopi Goldberg and later by David Alan Grier), Mark Linn-Baker as Hysterium, Ernie Sabella as Lycus, Jim Stanek as Hero, Lewis J. Stadlen as Senex, and Cris Groenendaal as Miles Gloriosus. The production was directed by Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Rob Marshall. Lane won the 1996 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor and the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Actor in a Musical; the production was nominated for the 1996 Tony Award and Drama Desk Award, Revival of a Musical.[7]
Every actor who has opened in the role of Pseudolus on Broadway (Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, and Nathan Lane) has won a Best Leading Actor Tony Award for his performance. In addition, Jason Alexander, who performed as Pseudolus in one scene in Jerome Robbins' Broadway, also won a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical.
Other productions
The original Australian production with American actor Jack Collins as Pseudolus opened at the Theatre Royal in Sydney in July 1964, and toured other Australian cities through 1965.[8]
A production was directed by Stephen R. Buss at Boise State University in 1995, starring James B. Fisk, Randy Davison, Karen Wennstrom and Daniel Taylor.[9]
In 1998, Jon English starred as Pseudolus in Essgee Entertainment's production that opened New Year's Day at the State Theatre, Melbourne and toured Australia and New Zealand, closing September 1999.[10]
The
The Chung Ying Theatre Company in Hong Kong staged a Cantonese version of the musical at
The
In October 2012 the play opened at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Australia, with Geoffrey Rush as Pseudolus, Magda Szubanski as Domina and Shane Bourne as Senex.[18]
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was produced at the Two River Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey from November 14, 2015 to December 13, 2015 with an all-male cast (Paul Castree, Eddie Cooper, Kevin Isola, David Josefsberg, Max Kumangai, Graham Rowat, Manny Stark, Bobby Conte Thornton, David Turner, Michael Urie, Tom Deckman, and Christopher Fitzgerald).[19]
Plot
In ancient Rome, some neighbors live in three adjacent houses. In the center is the house of Senex, who lives there with wife Domina, son Hero, and several slaves, including head slave Hysterium and the musical's main character Pseudolus. A slave belonging to Hero, Pseudolus wishes to buy, win, or steal his freedom. One of the neighboring houses is owned by Marcus Lycus, who is a buyer and seller of beautiful women; the other belongs to the ancient Erronius, who is abroad searching for his long-lost children (stolen in infancy by pirates).
One day, Senex and Domina go on a trip and leave Pseudolus in charge of Hero. Hero confides in Pseudolus that he is in love with the lovely Philia, one of the courtesans in the House of Lycus (albeit still a virgin). Pseudolus promises to help him win Philia's love in exchange for his own freedom. Unfortunately (as the two find out when they pay a visit on Lycus), Philia has been sold to the renowned warrior
Unexpectedly, Senex returns home early from his trip, and knocks three times on his own door. Philia comes out of the house, and, thinking that Senex is the Captain, offers herself up to him. Surprised but game, Senex instructs Philia to wait in the house for him, and she does. Hysterium arrives to this confusion, and tells Senex that Philia is the new maid that he has hired. Pseudolus returns, having procured the necessary mare's sweat; seeing that Senex has returned unexpectedly and grasping the need to keep him out of the way, Pseudolus discreetly sprinkles some of the horse-sweat onto him, then suggests that the road trip has left Senex in dire need of a bath. Taking the bait, Senex instructs Hysterium to draw him a bath in the long-abandoned house of Erronius. But while this is happening, Erronius returns home, finally having given up the search for his long-lost children. Hysterium, desperate to keep him out of the house where his master is bathing, tells the old man that his house has become haunted – a story seemingly confirmed by the sound of Senex singing in his bath. Erronius immediately determines to have a soothsayer come and banish the spirit from his house, and Pseudolus obligingly poses as one, telling Erronius that, in order to banish the spirit, he must travel seven times around the seven hills of Rome (thus keeping the old man occupied and out of the way for quite a while).
When Miles Gloriosus arrives to claim his courtesan-bride, Pseudolus hides Philia on the roof of Senex's house; told that she has "escaped", Lycus is terrified to face the Captain's wrath. Pseudolus offers to impersonate Lycus and talk his way out of the mess but, his ingenuity flagging, he ends up merely telling the Captain that Philia has disappeared, and that he, "Lycus", will search for her. Displeased and suspicious, Miles insists that his soldiers accompany Pseudolus, but the wily slave loses them in Rome's winding streets.
Complicating matters further, Domina returns from her trip early, suspicious that her husband Senex is "up to something low." She disguises herself in virginal white robes and a veil (much like Philia's) to try to catch Senex being unfaithful. Pseudolus convinces Hysterium to help him by dressing in
Finally, the Captain's troops are able to round everyone up. His plot thoroughly unraveled, Pseudolus appears to be in deep trouble – but Erronius, completing his third circuit of the Roman hills, shows up fortuitously to discover that Miles Gloriosus and Philia are wearing matching rings which mark them as his long-lost children. Philia's betrothal to the Captain is nullified by the unexpected revelation that he is her brother, and, as the daughter of a free-born citizen, she is freed from Marcus Lycus. Philia weds Hero with Erronius' blessing; Pseudolus gets his freedom and the lovely courtesan Gymnasia; Gloriosus receives twin courtesans to replace Philia; and Erronius is reunited with his children. A happy ending prevails for all – except for poor Senex, stuck with his shrewish wife Domina.
Characters
- Pseudolus: A Roman slave, owned by Hero, who seeks to win freedom by helping Hero win the heart of Philia. The slave name Pseudolus means "Faker". While originally written as a male role, it has been performed by female actors as well.
- Hero: Young son of Senex who falls in love with the virgin, Philia.
- Philia: (Greek for "love") A virgin in the house of Marcus Lycus, and Hero's love interest. Her name is also a homophone of the Latin word "Filia", which means daughter. This foreshadows her status as the daughter of Erronius.
- Hysterium: (Latin for "Hysterical", or "Anxious", the suffix "-um" makes the name neuter, and the character's gender is often mistaken throughout the piece) The chief slave in the house of Senex.
- Senex: (Latin for "old man") A henpecked, sardonic Roman senatorliving in a less fashionable suburb of Rome.
- Domina: (Latin for "mistress") The wife of Senex. A manipulative, shrewish woman who is loathed by even her husband.
- Marcus Lycus: A purveyor of courtesans, who operates from the house to the left of Senex. (Name based on Lycus, the pimp in Plautus's Poenulus.)
- Miles Gloriosus: (Latin for "boastful soldier", the archetype of the braggart soldier in Roman comedies) A captain in the Roman army to whom Marcus Lycus has promised Philia.
- Erronius: (Latin for "wandering") Senex's elderly neighbor in the house to the right. He has spent the past twenty years searching for his two children, kidnapped in infancy by pirates.
- Gymnasia: (Greek for "Athletic", with the connotation of nakedness) A courtesan from the house of Lycus with whom Pseudolus falls in love.
- Tintinabula: (Latin for "Bells") A jingling, bell-wearing courtesan in the house of Lycus.
- Vibrata: (Latin for "Vibrant") A wild, vibrant courtesan in the house of Lycus.
- Geminae: (Latin for "Twins") Twin courtesans in the house of Lycus.
- Panacea: (Greek for "Cure All") A courtesan in the house of Lycus.
- Proteans: Choristers who play multiple roles (slaves, citizens, soldiers, and eunuchs). They accompany Pseudolus in "Comedy Tonight". On Broadway, three people played all of these roles.
Cast
Role | Original Broadway | Original London | 1966 film | 1972 Broadway revival | 1996 Broadway revival | 2004 London revival |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prologus/Pseudolus | Zero Mostel | Frankie Howerd | Zero Mostel | Phil Silvers | Nathan Lane | Desmond Barrit |
Hero | Brian Davies | John Rye | Michael Crawford | John Hansen[20] | Jim Stanek | Vince Leigh |
Philia | Preshy Marker | Isla Blair | Annette Andre | Pamela Hall | Jessica Boevers | Caroline Sheen |
Hysterium | Jack Gilford | Kenneth Connor | Jack Gilford | Larry Blyden | Mark Linn-Baker | Hamish McColl |
Senex | David Burns | Eddie Gray | Michael Hordern | Lew Parker | Lewis J. Stadlen | Sam Kelly |
Domina | Ruth Kobart | Linda Gray | Patricia Jessel | Lizabeth Pritchett | Mary Testa | Isla Blair |
Marcus Lycus | John Carradine | Jon Pertwee | Phil Silvers | Carl Ballantine | Ernie Sabella | David Schneider |
Miles Gloriosus | Ronald Holgate
|
Leon Greene | Carl Lindstrom | Cris Groenendaal | Philip Quast | |
Erronius | Raymond Walburn | Robertson Hare | Buster Keaton | Reginald Owen | William Duell | Harry Towb |
Songs
Act I
|
Act II
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Cut songs:[21]
- "Love Is in the Air" – Prologus (Played by Senex) and Proteans (Originally intended as the opening number, replaced with "Comedy Tonight".[22] The song was later featured in the film The Birdcage (1996) where it was performed by Robin Williams and Christine Baranski.)
- "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" (Another version of the opening number. Used in subsequent revues of Sondheim songs and was sung by Nathan Lane in the musical The Frogs.)
- "I Do Like You" – Pseudolus and Hysterium
- "There's Something About a War" – Miles Gloriosus
- "Echo Song" – Philia and Hero
- "Your Eyes Are Blue" – Hero
- "The Gaggle of Geese" – Erronius
- "What Do You Do With a Woman?" – Hero
Notes:
"Pretty Little Picture" is frequently dropped from productions, and one verse of "I'm Calm" is also often trimmed. A song for Domina entitled "Farewell" was added for the 1972 revival as she and Senex depart for the country. "Echo Song" was reinstated in the same revival.
Awards and honors
Original Broadway production
Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1962 | Outer Critics Circle Award
|
Special Award | George Abbott | Won |
1963 | Tony Award
|
Best Musical | Won | |
Best Producer of a Musical | Harold Prince | Won | ||
Best Author | Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart | Won | ||
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
|
Zero Mostel | Won | ||
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
|
David Burns | Won | ||
Jack Gilford | Nominated | |||
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
|
Ruth Kobart | Nominated | ||
Best Direction of a Musical | George Abbott | Won |
1972 Broadway revival
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | Tony Award
|
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Phil Silvers | Won |
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Larry Blyden | Won | ||
Best Direction of a Musical | Burt Shevelove | Nominated |
1996 Broadway revival
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Tony Award
|
Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated | |
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
|
Nathan Lane | Won | ||
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
|
Lewis J. Stadlen | Nominated | ||
Best Direction of a Musical | Jerry Zaks | Nominated | ||
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nathan Lane | Won | ||
Outer Critics Circle Award
|
Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nathan Lane | Won | |
Outstanding Director of a Musical | Jerry Zaks | Won | ||
Drama League Award | Distinguished Production of a Revival | Nominated |
.
References
Notes
- ^ ISBN 0-7935-7750-0. p. 198
- ^ "Listing, 1963 production". Guideto Musical Theatre, retrieved December 9, 2009
- ^ "Listing, 1986 production". This Is Theatre. Retrieved December 9, 2009
- ^ Inverne, James. "Thoroughly Modern Millie Closes in London as New Musicals Prepare to Open". Playbill, June 7, 2004. Accessed December 25, 2016.
- ^ "Olivier Winners, 2005". Olivier Awards. Accessed December 27, 2016.
- ^ a b "'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' 1972". Sondheim Guide. Accessed December 25, 2016.
- ^ "'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' Broadway 1996". Playbill (vault). Accessed December 26, 2016.
- ^ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". AusStage. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- ^ "Boise State University Departments of Theatre Arts and Music: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". Boise State University. 1995.
- ^ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum".
- ^ "News". The Gazette, January 14, 2008. Archived January 23, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Lipton, Brian Scott (January 4, 2008)."Richard Kind to Star in Fairfield Center's 'Forum'". Theatermania
- ^ Gans, Andrew (January 11, 2008). "Tragedy Tomorrow, Comedy Tonight: 'Forum' Begins Run at Sondheim Center". Archived December 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Playbill.
- ^ "Funny Thing" chungying.com Archived June 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Stratford Production History". Stratford Festival. Accessed August 16, 2011.
- ^ Bacalzo, Dan (August 17, 2009). "Sean Cullen to Replace Injured Bruce Dow in Stratford 'Forum'". Theater Mania.
- ^ Nestruck, J. Kelly (December 20, 2010). "Theatre Review. 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' still brings the funny, but not as much". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" Archived October 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Australian website
- ^ Kennedy, Marina (November 24, 2015). "BWW Review: 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' at TRT-Musical Comedy at its Very Best". Broadway World.
- ^ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Broadway Musical – 1972 Revival | IBDB".
- ISBN 1557830649.
- ^ (no author)."Cut songs, 'A Funny Thing Happened'" Sondheim.com, accessed August 16, 2011
Bibliography
- "'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' plot summary & character descriptions" from StageAgent.com
- "Plot and production information", guidetomusicaltheatre.com
External links
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Internet Broadway Database
- ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Sondheim Guide
- "Libretto for the Broadway play". Archived from the original on October 23, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Music Theatre International website