It’s a good thing the Stevens Dramatic Society hosts each of their productions for three nights, because their shows rake in several full houses worth of attendees. And last Thursday, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum proved no different.
Directed by Tony Spinosa and produced by Michael Cahill, Forum generated a lot of interest when posters bloomed all along walls and entryways, not only for actors but also for musicians, set designers, and hair and makeup artists. The SDS is usually well-stocked with volunteers, but this semester’s production gained quite a large turnout. “We almost didn’t have room on the bill for all of them,” noted the producer. “It was incredible how many people showed up to help put on the show.”
And it certainly showed. Though the SDS usually does a pretty good job with the execution of their setup, the look for Forum was exceptional – it almost seemed professional-grade. The stage in Debaun was transformed into an elaborate agora and the true-to-history traditional Roman garb sent attendees back in time to a simpler era. Or was it?
The plot of Forum centers around Pseudolus, a slave to an elite Roman family comprised of Domina, a practical, no-nonsense noblewoman burdened with keeping the males of the household in check; Senex, a lustful old man; and young Hero, who falls hopelessly in love with Philia, the Cretan virgin living in the brothel next door. While Domina and Senex depart for a lengthy trip, Pseudolus promises Hero that he will pair Philia up with him in exchange for his freedom – a task that proves much more difficult than he anticipated.
Pseudolus arrives at the brothel, owned by the somewhat scatterbrained Marcus Lycus, and asks to make a transaction. Marcus Lycus displays his entire inventory, only to reveal that the virgin Philia is reserved for a famous captain sailing in from Crete. Thus, Pseudolus, with his slave companion Hysterium, conspire to sneak Philia out of the brothel before his masters and the captain come home.
When Hero and Philia are introduced to each other, each of their airheadedness seems to complement each other quite well, and it seems Pseudolus has his freedom in the bag. But the captain arrives to the village sooner than expected, and demands that his bride be brought to him from the brothel. Lycus is dumbfounded when he comes to the captain empty-handed, and so Pseudolus must devise a tale of her tragic death. This, too, proves tricky, as Philia’s wanderous ways have brought attention to her – Senex, having snuck back from a less-than-favorable trip, becomes enamored with the young woman and plans a rendezvous with her, while Hero still vies for her affection. Domina returns shortly after, and has a hunch that Senex is up to no good. She then dresses up as a golden-haired temptress, not at all dissimilar to Philia’s visage. And in order to prove that the captain’s bride is indeed dead, Pseudolus convinces Hysterium to dress in yet the same way as Philia and Domina, and lay motionless in front of him.
The captain, in a state of woe, orders a funeral pyre be built for his departed bride. Hysterium, in a fit of hysteria, panics and jumps from the board on which he was laid. An uproar amongst the villagers ensues, and suddenly all three Philias meet. Pseudolus is doomed, until an old man arrives looking for his long-lost children, whose only identification is a certain ring – a ring which both the captain and Philia possess. They are siblings, and though Pseudolus cannot maintain his freedom, he and the rest of the cast earn a happy ending.
The productions of SDS have always been well-done, but Forum was exceptional. The Stevens Dramatic Society puts on semesterly plays, so when the next one is announced, make sure to get your tickets early.
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