‘Forum’ worth the trip to Opera House

 

By MIKE NEUMANN
The Independent

 

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A very funny thing happened at the Opera House Friday night. It was opening night for Woodstock Musical Theatre Company’s hilarious presentation of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”
As often happens on opening night, the cast was a little timid in the beginning but got over it in no time. It’s not like the audience has to figure out how it is supposed to receive this production. The opening number, “Comedy Tonight,” makes it pretty clear.
The musical is a classic farce in which pairings and recombinations of characters get themselves in more and more trouble on their way to a resolution. It is a very physical and carefully timed activity that, done well as in this production, appears chaotic.
The setting is a street in ancient Rome. One of the houses is occupied by Marcus Lycus (Joe Weyland), a marketer of courtesans. He is appropriately smarmy as would be expected in his line of work. Another of the houses starts off vacant as its owner Erronius is off navigating the globe in search of his missing son and daughter who have been captured by pirates. Played by Danny Malone, Erronius steals the show in a few well-placed moments.
The third home is owned by Senex (Sandy Rutherford) and his wife Domina (Donna Badtke). The household includes their son Hero (Brendan Gaughan) and their slaves. One of them, Pseudolus, played by Kyle McCoy, is trying to earn his freedom. McCoy is wonderful in the part and actually brings up a more serious thought-provoking issue in his character’s quest. Pseudolus weighs the fact that once one is free, one must take responsibility for one’s own maintenance and nothing is free any more. Hmm.
For the remainder of the story, Pseudolus does not get so bogged down with grave philosophical issues. This is a very interactive play with many asides and clarifications for the audience. You have to listen carefully as characters also slip in an occasional ad lib here and there. When the cast is having this much fun, it is very difficult for the audience to distance itself and resist enjoyment. And it did not appear that anyone in the audience was trying very hard to fight the fun.
Pseudolus is joined in servitude by Hysterium (Jim Crow). The name is no accident, as he is hysterical when he gets caught up in Pseudolus’s plot to pair young Hero with the virginal courtesan Philia (Jen Jersey). The obstacle is that Philia has already been promised to Captain Miles Gloriosus (Kevin Goss).
Not the sharpest tack in the box, Philia isn’t much help in the venture, and Hero, too, needs a lot of coaching. Flitting in and out are the Proteans. I have to admit that I had to look this one up. It means “readily assuming different forms or characters.” Played by Jose Araoz and Chris Kelecius, they were fantastic in a variety of roles.
The courtesans fill out the cast as well as their marvelous costumes. With names such as Vibrata, Gymnasia and the Geminae twins, they accurately portray their parts. They join the rest of the cast in a standout production.
The set is simple but brilliant. It and the costumes have an ancient-Rome-meets-Broadway feel that cannot be overshadowed by the fun the cast is having. The lighting is excellent, and the choreography and direction superb.
A lot of funny things happen on the way to the forum in this production. It continues at the Opera House weekends through April 26. For tickets or information, call the box office at 815-338-5300.

This article was published in the April 9, 2008 edition of The Woodstock Independent.