Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Script

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really liked it Average rating 4.00  ·

 · 1,649 ratings  · 19 reviews

Start your review of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Sondheim's first Broadway show for which he did lyrics and music. It isn't a score I revisit very often, mainly because it just isn't great. The only songs that have managed to have any legacy outside of the show and usually the only numbers I listen to are Comedy Tonight and Everybody Ought To Have A Maid. I don't think anybody would call this a great Sondheim show but it is a nice document of what he was doing before he became the grand seigneur of musical theatre. Sondheim's first Broadway show for which he did lyrics and music. It isn't a score I revisit very often, mainly because it just isn't great. The only songs that have managed to have any legacy outside of the show and usually the only numbers I listen to are Comedy Tonight and Everybody Ought To Have A Maid. I don't think anybody would call this a great Sondheim show but it is a nice document of what he was doing before he became the grand seigneur of musical theatre. ...more

As always, this farcical story of love, lust, misunderstandings, and the seemingly never-ending search for something is hilarious and a great homage to Roman playwright Plautus.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum follows the story of three houses of neighbors who are on a quest for what tickles their funny bone – In the center is the home of Senex, who lives there with wife Domina, son Hero, and several slaves, including head slave Hysterium, and the character Pseudolus who wishes to

As always, this farcical story of love, lust, misunderstandings, and the seemingly never-ending search for something is hilarious and a great homage to Roman playwright Plautus.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum follows the story of three houses of neighbors who are on a quest for what tickles their funny bone – In the center is the home of Senex, who lives there with wife Domina, son Hero, and several slaves, including head slave Hysterium, and the character Pseudolus who wishes to buy, win, or steal his freedom. One of the neighboring houses is owned by Marcus Lycus, who is a buyer and seller of beautiful women; the other belongs to the Erronius, who returns to Rome, looking for his two children who were kidnapped in infancy by pirates.

The music is forgettable, with the exception of Stephen Sondheim's Comedy Tonight.

I quite enjoyed this hilarious farce.

🎥 Movie version.

...more

Apr 06, 2018 Ed Lehman rated it it was amazing

I had seen the play at least once and the movie several times...and of course enjoyed them. I didn't expect the humor to come through so much in the written form. I was so wrong. I occasionally chuckle when reading my daily fare...but this book actually had me in belly laughs that were so prolonged that it began to be painful. Maybe I was just in the right mood to receive the comedy...but I highly recommend that everyone give this short read a try.
The story involves a slave during the Roman Empi I had seen the play at least once and the movie several times...and of course enjoyed them. I didn't expect the humor to come through so much in the written form. I was so wrong. I occasionally chuckle when reading my daily fare...but this book actually had me in belly laughs that were so prolonged that it began to be painful. Maybe I was just in the right mood to receive the comedy...but I highly recommend that everyone give this short read a try.
The story involves a slave during the Roman Empire period trying to gain his freedom by providing his master's son the woman he is in lust with. Only problem is that the woman lives in the bordello next door...and she has already been bought by someone else who is coming to get her soon. In the meanwhile, the Master, thinks that the girl is the new maid...who he intends to take advantage of. Add in a large dose of characters taking on the identities of others... the master's wife returning to also mis-read events and the general hectic series of machinations by the slave and hilarity not just ensues...but romps all over the place. ...more

Jan 24, 2018 Neil rated it really liked it

Oh, yikes, this is dated, but I still think at the core it is very funny. Pseudolus has so many good bits, and I love how different the setting is from anything else in musical theater. It's too bad that the women are all dim, or shrewish, or sex objects, and not deeply involved in the story.

Even a lesser Sondheim score has real gems (who doesn't love Comedy Tonight?) I would hate a steady diet of shows like this in the theater, but as a balance to other fare, this is still very much worth prod

Oh, yikes, this is dated, but I still think at the core it is very funny. Pseudolus has so many good bits, and I love how different the setting is from anything else in musical theater. It's too bad that the women are all dim, or shrewish, or sex objects, and not deeply involved in the story.

Even a lesser Sondheim score has real gems (who doesn't love Comedy Tonight?) I would hate a steady diet of shows like this in the theater, but as a balance to other fare, this is still very much worth producing.

...more

Great Fun

Insights into the writing from one spent to literary prrvursors, Plautus. Lyrics - great for quotes. Light and easy read.

Aug 17, 2020 Sean rated it really liked it

Very funny, even as a script. The lyrics are so well done. Also, very very sexist.

This ISBN (0396085997) is incorrectly cataloged; this book included both A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum AND The Frogs.

Jun 15, 2008 John Wiswell rated it liked it  · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Musical theatre fans

This is not what I intended to pick up as the end of my tour of ancient plays. Apparently Sondheim & Friends took great liberties with The Frogs, as the musical play now freely makes references to France, George Bush and cell phones. Either Aristophanes was a much more forward-thinker than he's given credit, or they were ****ing around. The references are so off-hand that they don't damage the narrative; they don't visit France or Washington (though they are now on a trip to liberate George Bern This is not what I intended to pick up as the end of my tour of ancient plays. Apparently Sondheim & Friends took great liberties with The Frogs, as the musical play now freely makes references to France, George Bush and cell phones. Either Aristophanes was a much more forward-thinker than he's given credit, or they were ****ing around. The references are so off-hand that they don't damage the narrative; they don't visit France or Washington (though they are now on a trip to liberate George Bernard Shaw from Hades).

Musical theatre is definitely not for me, and reading it is even less appealing. If this wasn't so flippant I'd probably hate it, but how could I hate things like:

Herakles: You can't go dressed like that.
Xanthias: Like what?
Herakles: Like Minerva on a first date.

Herakles: Unfortunately I must get my gear. I go to clean the Augean stables.
Dionysos: No shit.

Charon [boatman of the underworld:]: What happens if you look directly into the eyes of Medusa?
Xanthias: You turn to stone.
Charon: Right.
Dionysos: Everybody knows that.
Charon: Not that fellow over there!

It's dumb humor for educated people, just about my favorite genre. The cast of mythological figures, all high on their satirical ideals, are a bunch of morons - and so the messages of a need for clear thoughts and end to war aren't cloyingly didactic, and are generally amusing. I listened to a portion of a broadway production with Nathan Lane as the god of wine (perfect), and found they embraced the well-read goofyness.

However near the end, when we indulge in a debate between George Shaw and William Shakespeare, things become incredibly didactic and the play actually concludes with the cast telling you be "rude" and go join political activism - not in a theme, but actually them telling the audience to do as soon as they get up away from the manuscipt or theatre. That's intensely annoying, especially for something that was, frankly, intellectually unimpressive for most of its duration. To make their jokes these writers were clearly well-read, and to pluck so many quotes from Shaw and Shakespeare they clearly were familiar with heavy topics, but even the "debate" is myopic in scope: it boils down to heartless rudeness fighting beautiful nothingness, and the ending endorsement of uncivility is deeply disappointing. The writers must be intelligent enough to recognize that one can be civil and intelligent, sympathizing with whom you disagree, but that would fit the A-B agument of the last part of the play. Should we citizens of "Athens" sit around while the country fall apart? No, but I don't need musical theatre taking liberties with a classic to tell me what to do.

...more

Sep 20, 2016 Misti rated it it was ok

Did I miss the funny part? Less than thrilling.

An amusing foray into the musicals of the 1960s. My issues with this play are less about my opinion of the book and more about my opinion of 1960s musicals. It seems that they are often safe, catchy, a little cheeky, but mostly they are meant to evoke joy and entertainment from the audience, rather than a serious statement. When I read this book, I felt as though the actual application of the text itself was more about getting the play done in many respects rather than making it good. That said, An amusing foray into the musicals of the 1960s. My issues with this play are less about my opinion of the book and more about my opinion of 1960s musicals. It seems that they are often safe, catchy, a little cheeky, but mostly they are meant to evoke joy and entertainment from the audience, rather than a serious statement. When I read this book, I felt as though the actual application of the text itself was more about getting the play done in many respects rather than making it good. That said, after two years and close to 1000 performances, it managed to sell tickets - furthermore, it has been revived many, many times over the decades since. It is cute, it is fun, but it doesn't make a statement. The origins of the text, Plautus, is skewed with the modern sensibilities of the theater, and it seems as though it may have worked for 1960s audiences, but today is a little weird and cumbersome. The value of the text is all in the way it is performed in the individual theaters that produce it, and I think that is where the beauty lies, rather than the text itself. To conclude, I think that if Plautus' audiences were to see their favorite characters in this new context, even they would be confused; but it would probably end with a plausible understanding and enjoyable feeling regardless of their confusion. Yes. A few funny things happen on the way to the forum, but they are awkward and rely on subtext at times. In the hands of the right director, the show could be a real hoot. ...more

VERY loosely based on the comic plays of the Roman Plautus, Larry Gelbart's vaudvillian adaptation can be hillariously funny. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics and music often stand in odd counterpoint to the style of the libretto, offering disonant melodies and lyrics which are often to clever for the uneducated slaves and hypocritical masters who sing them. Still in all, it is a fast-paced farce that can easily be used in a curriculum as a modern adaptation of a classic style. VERY loosely based on the comic plays of the Roman Plautus, Larry Gelbart's vaudvillian adaptation can be hillariously funny. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics and music often stand in odd counterpoint to the style of the libretto, offering disonant melodies and lyrics which are often to clever for the uneducated slaves and hypocritical masters who sing them. Still in all, it is a fast-paced farce that can easily be used in a curriculum as a modern adaptation of a classic style. ...more

If you like a play on words, silly humor, and just plain hilarity, then get yourself a copy of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Be sure to have wiki close by, for those a Greek and Roman names, as nothing is by chance in this freaking funny play. Read the intro too, good info to have before the curtain rises. Thanks D, we are on the same page as usual :)

Apr 06, 2011 Ann rated it it was amazing

A quick romp into hilarity; from slapstick to political in-correctness. I play Domina. I ordered you to come see me in it on May 6-7, 2011! Did you forget? Well, you can read the play, then...

Oct 01, 2015 Joann rated it liked it

My son will be playing Hero in a school production of this so I had to track it down and read it first. It is quite humorous and I look forward to seeing a life production of it.

I love reading theater scripts that provide incite into the writing of the script as well. The script here is very funny, which I already knew, so I wanted a little back story as well.

Mar 10, 2008 Michelle rated it it was amazing

It was an excellent play. I really enjoyed reading it.

I definately preferred the book to the movie. My theater did the stage show and it was interesting to see it performed on a live stage.

Dec 28, 2014 Emily rated it really liked it

This was such a fun story. I had no idea what it was about before starting it, and I was pleasantly surprised!

Stephen Joshua Sondheim was an American musical and film composer and lyricist, winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards (seven, more than any other composer), multiple Grammy Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize. He has been described as the Titan of the American Musical.

His most famous scores include (as composer/lyricist) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Litt

Stephen Joshua Sondheim was an American musical and film composer and lyricist, winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards (seven, more than any other composer), multiple Grammy Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize. He has been described as the Titan of the American Musical.

His most famous scores include (as composer/lyricist) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins, as well as the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy. He was president of the Dramatists Guild from 1973 to 1981.

...more

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