THEATER REVIEW: 'A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum' at Williamstown Theatre Festival
Theater
Main Stage
Williamstown, Mass.
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
By Chris Newbound
A Williamstown Theatre Production of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To the Forum, book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, directed by Jessica Stone, musical direction by Gary Adler, choreography by Denis Jones
Tintinabula/Erronius Kevin Cahoon
Protean/Gemini #1 Paul Castree
Lycus David Costabile
Pseudolus Christopher Fitzgerald
Protean Zackary Grady
Hysterium Josh Grisetti
Protean Adam Lerman
Domina/Panacea Chivas Michael
Hero Bryce Pinkham
Protean/Gymnasia Joe Aaron Reid
Miles Gloriosus Graham Rowat
Senex/Vibrata Jeremy Shamos
Philia David Turner
Protean/Gemini #2 Jon Patrick Walker
Given that there are many more than just one funny thing in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, now being presented by Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) in Williamstown, Mass., it makes one wonder if the work shouldn't be retitled “Many, Many Funny Things Happened On The Way To the Forum.” Outrageous, farcical things, piling up one after another like a glorious car wreck. As the long-lasting classic and opening number states loud and clear, “tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight.” And for such a raucous, thoroughly entertaining evening we have many to thank: director Jessica Stone, artistic director Nicholas Martin, actor Christopher Fitzgerald, composer Stephen Sondheim, writers Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, WTF, and all the others involved in this wonderful production. Silliness, in this instance, completely succeeds.
It’s one of theater’s longstanding clichés that comedy is much harder to do well than tragedy, and it’s especially difficult when it involves a large cast and a musical—not to mention performing it with an all-male cast for the first time ever in the show’s glorious history. Director Jessica Stone and company should be applauded long and loudly for bringing this all together without a hitch, offering up a nearly flawless production that on opening night was performed with energy and wit and made one feel that the nearly half-century-old musical was all shiny and new again. It is, in fact, the first show that Sondheim ever wrote both music and lyrics for, debuting on Broadway way back in 1962, and that followed West Side Story, a show for which Sondheim wrote the lyrics to Leonard Bernstein’s notes.
But along with Sondheim, for writing something so timeless so early in his career, the entire ensemble deserves individual shout-outs as there isn’t a weak link among them. Of particular note, however, is Josh Grisetti as an hysterical Hysterium and David Turner as a phenomenal Philia. For it’s the performances, certainly not its barely constructed story line, that makes this show come to life.
The skeletal plot involves the slave Psuedolus (Christopher Fitzgerald) striking a bargain with his master, Hero (an appealing Bryce Pinkham); if Psuedolus can arrange for Hero to get the girl of his dreams (Philia), Hero will then reward Psuedolus with his freedom. And from this, all else ensues, mostly complete chaos set in a Roman amphitheater on a spring day.
In past productions, Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, and Nathan Lane have all garnered best actor in a musical Tony Awards for the role of Pseudolus; clearly, it’s a role made for actors to strut their stuff. But the flipside of this is that the show relies on a star performance from its Pseudolus in order for it to succeed. In fact, Pseudolus must carry the show, and Fitzgerald weathers this burden with seemingly effortless skill and energy, despite barely getting a breather from being on stage for nearly its two-hour duration. Even late into the evening, it’s hard to take one’s eyes off of Fitzgerald, as it’s not just the big things he does so ably, but the little things, too.
If God is in the details, so too is great musical comedy and it’s all in the details of Fitzgerald's performance that make it so riveting and amusing. For those who saw him be equally brilliant in one of the previous stellar WTF productions, Where’s Charley?, it’s hardly surprising. Still, it’s a performance that could so easily tip too far into the overblown, and Fitzgerald keeps such absurdity almost real by underplaying it whenever necessary. Credit, too, must go to Stone for no doubt playing a part in monitoring all of this and keeping the tone consistently farcical.
All other elements come together perfectly from the sets to the costumes to the sixteen-piece orchestra set below the stage and that is occasionally involved in receiving or providing key props. While the show loses some momentum in the second act, particularly during a lengthy and less interesting chase sequence that could either be cut or perhaps shortened, it finds its feet again near the end, moving swiftly to its predictable but satisfying conclusion.
All in all, a terrific start for the WTF season, not to mention a perfect juxtaposition for Sondheim fans who can go see a more mature Sondheim at his darkest in Sweeney Todd now playing at Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield and then go up to Williamstown, a mere twenty miles north, and see a much lighter, sillier, early Sondheim or vice versa (tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight). All that seems required now is for the legendary composer to make an appearance himself. Calling Stephen Sondheim to the Berkshires. Is there a composer in the house? [July 4, 2010]
Sets, Alexander Dodge; costumes, Catherine A. Parrott; lighting, Jeff Croiter; sound, Drew Levy and Tony Smolenski; production stage manager, Gregory T. Livoti; production manager, Joel M. Krause; choreography, Denis Jones. Runs through July 11. Running time: approximately 2 hours with one intermission.
[Photo of Christopher Fitzgerald by T. Charles Erickson courtesy WTF]
Chris Newbound in a theater critic for BerkshireLive.
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