A strong old Broadyway warhorse,A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum originally opened with Zero Mostel in the lead followed by Frankie Howerd in the UK. A mixed bag of plot lines from Plautus are woven into a finely honed hit - it ran for years.
This production from the American High School Theatre Festival deserves to run just as long. It's a bubbling, vibrant production played with consumate skills by actors still in their teens. Every farcial device is employed - cheating on wives, transgressed taboos, desire - and what could easily turn into a confused mess is neatly and cleanly played out.
The performance bubbled with energy, the direction was tight and inventive and the choreography caught the spirit of the piece. James Everett as Pseudolus directed the traffic of the piece with fine comic timing and Alex Ferguson as Lycus was outstanding.
