From beginning to end, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” proved to be a smart, fast-paced, funny, and an attractive comedy that will surely keep audience members entertained throughout much of the night and for days to come.
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” is a play set in Roman times that features a very colorful and energetic cast and shows just how Romans handled situations back during the time of slaves, Roman soldiers, and courtesans (prostitutes).
The book was written by Larry Gelbart, Burt Shevelove with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and was presented on Broadway in 1962. It has received eleven Tony awards since then, including best musical and best book. Mel Swopes, winner of two Golden Globes Awards and four Emmy Award nominations, leads a creative cast that includes Producer Linda Ottsen, Musical Director and Conductor Dr. Burns Taft, and many others.
The music and set are attractive, but the energetic and animated cast really made the show. Spanky Reynoso, who plays Pseudolus a guile and humorous slave, set the tone for the show with a welcoming and brilliant performance that featured, at the end, the rest of the cast.
The acting by the rest of the cast was great and many of the characters portrayed added a bit of something to the play. It is difficult to pick out which actors or actresses were the best, because many of them did a great job portraying their character and giving life to the musical.
There are a couple of things that may bother some people though, but things that were very little and insignificant. The character Philia, a courtesan, played by Christine Capsuto, portrayed herself to be what many would say today, a typical blonde who had no idea on how to read and write and only thought of herself as someone’s possession. In this day and age woman already have a difficult time with stereotypes that have been labeled them in the past, this character did fit, though how woman supposedly thought during the Roman times.
It is not recommended to show this play to anyone younger than about thirteen, due to the many various sexual references that are made in this play. The references include prostitution, eunuchs, and there are many times when the character either grabs or embraces themselves in another woman’s breasts.
Other than those few parts, the play is a perfect for many college students looking for a time to relax from their studies and have themselves a good laugh. Some of the other parts of the play that were enjoyable were the costumes and the set that was designed. Both of them added to the play of portraying the Roman era.
Overall, this play will keep a smile on audience members face throughout the entire performance and will really help to relax others nerves from any kind of studying that may be needed.
The play is scheduled to show from March 16 through March 25. It opens on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. In order to purchase tickets students can visit the site www.tix.com or they can purchase them at the Canon Copy Center located near the cafeteria at Ventura College.
The Proteans, Kevin Downey, Masio Winston and Joey Sponseller, dance as Prologus, played by Spanky Reynoso, sings.
