March 9, 200917 yr In my "theatre analysis" class, we just started watching this odd "Roman Comedy" musical... called... "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. "Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (251–183 BC), specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus and Mostellaria, it tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The plot displays many classic elements of farce, including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity (frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from the line that vaudeville comedians often used to begin a story: "A funny thing happened on the way to the theater"... "The musical's original 1962 Broadway run won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Book. A Funny Thing has enjoyed several Broadway and West End revivals and was made into a successful film. It is a popular choice for school and community theatre." -Wikipedia Zero Mostel is the star, Pseudolus. Have any of you guys seen it?
March 10, 200917 yr Yes, "Funny Thing..." is one of Stephen Sondheim's earliest musicals (if it isn't actually his first produced musical). The movie is DREADFUL. Which is just more of the same for Sondheim film adaptations. So far, the only thing Sondheim's written that WORKED as a movie, was Westside Story.. and he only wrote the lyrics for that one. I find a couple of other Sondheim plays FAR more interesting than "Funny Thing". Notably: A Little Night Music (based on an Ingemar Bergman film: "Smiles of a summer night") Company (INCREDIBLE show) Pacific Overtures (one of my favourite Sondheims) Passion (one many people hate, but i really like it) Into the Woods (the first one I ever saw on Broadway - in previews, before all the cuts, and also the first Sondheim show I ever conducted.. and it was the Canadian premiere)
March 10, 200917 yr Odd that you didn't list one of my favorites:Sunday in the Park With George hehehe, I FORGOT it!
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