BWW Reviews: Reprise Theatre's Colossal FORUM

Thankfully director David Lee is giving us a presentation of Forum @ Reprise based on the 1972 Broadway revival. Why? Because it includes 2 delightful songs not in the original 1962 New York production: "Farewell" and "Echo Song". These 2 numbers add that extra special touch to Lee's dynamically directed version, which puts the s in silly and could not possibly get any better.

"Comedy Tonight" is what the doctor ordered, and the cast is uniformly sensational. Headed by Lee Wilkof and Larry Raben as Pseudolus andf Hysterium respectively, they keep the laughs, puns, sight gags and every conceivable element of slapstick brimming and over-the-top. Ruth Williamson as Domina steals the show with her opening "Farewell", written by Sondheim for 'an actress that refuses to leave the stage'. Her poker-faced glances are drop dead funny and her singing voice just tops. Ron Orbach also scores as Senex. This is a most difficult role to keep interesting, and Orbach manages to keep the befuddled man...well, appropriately befuddled at all costs. Michael Kostroff is hilarious as Lycus ( a role Phil Silvers played in the 1966 film), and Alan Mandell is an absolute hoot as Erronius, who obediently and bare-legged makes a 7 time walk around the hills a uniquely comical experience. Stuart Ambrose keeps Miles Gloriosus the egotistical maniac that he is meant to be and Erich Bergen as Hero and Annie Abrams as Philia are all sweetness and innocence - which is not an easy feat amongst the adulterous scene stealers in this show.

Chorus members Matthew Patrick Davis (7 ft tall?), Russ Marchand and Justin Wilcox make sharply skilled Proteans and Meg Gillentine, Mercy Malick, Bradley Benjamin, Candy Olsen, Tonya Kay, and Laura Keller are the killer gorgeous courtesans of the House of Marcus Lycus.

Behind the scenes work as well is top-notch, including set design by Bradley Kaye, costumes by Kate Bergh, and lighting by Jared A. Sayeg. Peggy Hickey's choreography keeps quick time march a popular step, and Steve Orich provides superb musical direction.

This inane look at social class and mores of ancient Rome reminds us of just how deliciously uncivilized civilizations actually were and still are, thank heavens.

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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
book by Burt Shevelove & Larry Gelbart; music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
directed by David Lee
Reprise Theatre Company @ The Freud Playhouse, UCLA through March 28