"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" - A Review

    I had a terrific time Wednesday evening (along with my lovely wife) catching the first performance of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, one of my all-time favorite musical comedies.

   It's silly, over the top and very, very funny. (Anyone at the show last night can testify that my annoying laugh was heard constantly throughout - I haven't laughed so much at a show in a long, long time.)

    It's almost cheating when you have a star like Jack Cirillo in charge as the slave Pseudolus. A terrific comic actor (and a fantastic singer), he's masterful as the ringleader of this madcap comedy - manic, relentlessly funny, using every weapon in his comedic arsenal - pratfalls, witty asides, slapstick, lewd remarks, double-takes, humor both highbrow and lowbrow - his performance is just a delight from start to finish.

   But he doesn't carry the show alone - the cast is packed with terrific talent, and each one gets a chance to shine.

   Josh Meredith gleefully steals scenes as fellow slave Hysterium, with outstanding songs, dancing, cross-dressing, double-takes and delighted hysterics - a tour de force by a force of nature who was born to be on stage.

   Chase Likens takes bombast to new heights as Miles Gloriosus, a tower of power unto himself (think Robert Goulet on steroids) - he's bombastic, larger than life and very, very funny!

 

    Levi Kelly is a revelation as Senex, the father of Hero who's terribly henpecked and eternally on the prowl. I've seen Levi grow up on stage (literally) in local children's theatre productions, and here he plays a mature, over-the-top character and is an absolute scream. He hits every note (comic and musical) right on the button and does a masterful job.

   Michael Norton plays Marcus Lycus, the proprietor of the local house of Courtesans, and he also takes maximum advantage of his time to score laughs, and he joins Jack, Josh and Levi for one the show's funniest songs, "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid." (I had tears in my eyes from laughing, honest.)

   Playing Senex's shrew of a wife Domina is Emily Pritchard - she delights as the boss of the house and she keeps the action rolling throughout the frantic second act.

   At the heart of the show's lighthearted love story is the young Hero, played spot-on by the handsome Ryan Gallerani, and Philia, played by the beautiful Erika Toderic - she's a willing slave girl with a wonderful singing voice. Equally dim and sweetly in love, they're a perfect match.

  Taking on a wide variety of roles are The Proteans, played by Larry LuckyDoo III, Will Radford and James P. Smith, and they create a Greek chorus by way of the Three Stooges. They're funny, physical, campy and a constant source of laughs.

   You can't have a classic comedy without a healthy helping of sex appeal, and the ladies in the employ of Marcus Lycus more than fill the bill, including Beka Todd, Erin and Meghan Martin, Sumur Neace, Emily Pritchard and Kamerun Stambaugh. They keep the heat on throughout the proceedings, much to the delight of all the red-blooded males in the audience.   

   In addition to the terrific cast, you have amazing, colorful costumes (well presented in these photos from the Herald-Dispatch), the usual fantastic set and flawless tech work from Marshall's Theatre Alliance, and a terrific live orchestra directed by the amazing Mark Smith.

   What you have here is a terrific show, one of the best local shows in recent memory. "Forum" is a classic for good reason - it's a fast, funny blast from start to finish, loaded with big laughs and great songs by some guy named Stephen Sondheim.

   Kudos to director Nicole Perrone and the rest of the directing team for an outstanding show.

   The good news is, you have several more chances to catch this musical - but Sunday wraps it up, and you don't want to miss it. Make time to see the show - you'll thank me later!

   Shows will run Thursday - Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center at Marshall University (1600 5th Avenue, Huntington). Tickets are $20 Adults / $15 MU Faculty and Seniors /MU Students free with valid MU Student ID. To reserve tickets, call 304-696-ARTS.