A pair of young lovers, a pair of old lovers, a pair of children stolen by pirates, a pair of twin courtesans and a pair of Roman slaves add up to a night of laughter at Boston Theatre Works' "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."
Stephen Sondheim's "Forum" may not be as profound as, say, "Oedipus," but the play blatantly acknowledges it. In fact, it even saves the audience the trouble of figuring this out by announcing its shallowness in its opening number: "Nothing with gods, nothing with fate/ Weighty affairs will just have to wait."
The show follows the intermingling of several Romans' lives - including Pseudolus, the slave who dreams of freedom, and Marcus Lycus, proud proprietor of a houseful of beautiful women for sale - in a plot held loosely together by the comically shallow love story of the young and brainless Hero and Philia. The events that bring this production's diverse characters together often cross the line into ridiculousness, but fortunately for this show, ludicrous and hilarious are one in the same.
As if the opening lines weren't enough to convince the audience that the cast is not trying to aspire to the likes of Shakespeare, director Erick Devine stuffs in anachronistic jokes and references whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. Particularly notable are the wacky togas stamped with a dollar sign pattern and a variety of color-coordinated sneaker brand names, provided by costume designer Kimmerie Jones.
The soldiers are all suited up in plastic armor bearing plastic kazoos to announce the arrival of Captain Miles Gloriosus (before marching off á l? Fosse in "Chicago," one of many outside references Devine employs). Though the soldiers' shoulders may be protected by their plastic armor, they cannot compare to alpha male Miles Gloriosus' full plastic regalia as he enters and announces, "Stand back, I take large steps."
Though the characters are outfitted for battle, the only fighting that occurs is a "West Side Story"-style standoff between the soldiers and Pseudolus in which Pseudolus manages to lose the army as they dance off stage humming Bernstein.
Devine further manages to shake up the production is by having lesser characters on stage accompany the pit band and present soloist as Tufts' own B.E.A.T.S. would: using brooms, ladders, sticks and the odd bush-turned-bongo. The effect is very successful, both comical and aesthetically pleasing.
The entire show sounds wonderfully appealing: an evening of wild entertainment without unpleasantly serious morals flung at the audience. Unfortunately, this sort of show has to have its downside.
Though entertaining, it is important to note that the venue is small and that the Proteans (chorus members who assume various roles: eunuchs, slaves, or soldiers) were simply too clownish to be viewed so closely. Also, in his determination to be zany, Bill Gardiner as Pseudolus appears slightly strained in his first appearance, clearly hoping that the clown nose and rubber chicken he dons have the desired effect.
These small problems, however, are exceptions to the rule. A symbiotic relationship exists between the actors and the original book on which Sondheim based his musical. The book may lag at times, but the actors are usually there to pick up the slack. At the same time, whenever the actors seem to slack, the book pulls through with a laugh anyway.
The small scale of the cast and venue allows the audience to examine each character closely. This is a treat, because the show is really driven more by its character than plot. Neil A. Casey is particularly successful in creating the character of the overanxious Hysterium, a character that would be less than remarkable if Casey's performance weren't so strong or the theater so intimate.
This show is definitely worth seeing. It may not be the next "Angels in America," but that's okay. In the midst of everyday life, everyone needs a little comic relief.
And besides, Boston Theatre Works is planning to present "Angels" later this season.
