Friends, Romans, Countrymen…. Welcome to the Nuffield Theatre for tonight’s performance of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. It is staggering that Stephen Sondheim has been writing so much, to such a standard, for so long. His first substantial theatre work, the lyrics for West Side Story,is more than 30 years old - the same distance in time that enabled him to contrast two different worlds in Follies, a recent hit in London. A Funny Thing… ,with its classic suggestion of leads from Zero Mostel to Phil Silvers and Frankie Howerd, was Sondheim’s first musical comedy, written in 1962, and provided the inspiration for the long running television series Up Pompeii.
The Cast
|
Pseudolus |
Ken Hann |
|
Hysterium |
John Carrington |
|
Lycus |
John Hamon |
|
Senex |
Ken Spencer |
|
Erronius |
David Bartlett |
|
Hero |
Chris Bennett |
|
Mile Gloriosus |
David Jupp |
|
Proteans |
Robbie Carnegie, Kevin Mitchell, Simon Wills |
|
Philia |
Angela Mackie |
|
Domina |
Julie Baker |
|
Gymnasia |
Avril Woodward |
|
Vibrata |
Hazel Burrows |
|
Gemini |
Eleanor Blott, Debbie Smith |
|
Panacea |
Sarah Spencer |
|
Tintinabula |
Vicky Bowers |
The Musicians
|
Musical Director/Piano |
Belinda Drew |
|
Flute |
Jane Higgins |
|
Clarinet/Alto Sax |
Dave King |
|
Clarinet/Tenor Sax |
Ken Alexander |
|
Trumpets |
Ian Smith, And Stockton |
|
Trombone |
David Thomas |
|
Synthesisers |
Michael Patterson |
|
Percussion |
Mark Jordan |
For the Maskers
|
Director |
Graham Buchanan |
|
Production Assistant |
JanWard |
|
Stage Manager |
Keith Hooper |
|
Lighting |
Clive Weeks |
|
Sound |
Tony Lawther |
|
Wardrobe |
Valerie Oswald |
|
Props |
Ella Lockett |
|
Original Artwork |
John Hamon |
|
Photography |
Rob Robinson |
|
Set Assembled by |
Edwin Beecroft, Geoff Cook, Mike Turner, John Riggs, Alan Watson, Albie Minns, Alan Baker, Ron Tillyer, Philippa Taylor, Nichola Horne |