A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (April 2018)

Playgoers, I bid you welcome.

This has certainly been an experience... Not an easy one, casting sixteen characters from our small company, over the Easter period, on top of music rehearsals for the learning of Sondheim music and lyrics (which are extraordinarily difficult). Finding furnature and props from anywhere we can, then putting the whole thing together. I leave you to judge if we have made "A Comedy Tonight".

I would like to introduce another newcomer to our company, Hattie Lonsdale.

I thank you for your support.

-- Sophia Kennedy, Director.

Synopsis

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a fast-paced farce.

Taking straight from the roots of comedy, Forum combines the ancient comedies of Platus with a vaudevillian delivery.

Pseudolus schmes to win the heart of the beautiful virgin, Philia, for his young master, Hero. In exchange, Hero will grant Pseudolus his freedom once and for all. However, things are never as easy as they seem.

Chaos ensues with hair-brained schemes, cases of mistaken identity and convoluted plot twists.

The Cast

Harry KennedyPrologus
An Actor
Bill PlattSennex
An Old Man
Sarah SherwoodDominia
His Wife
Edward LawtonHero
His son (in love with Philia)
Roger BarlowHysterium
Slave to Senex and Dominia
Harry KennedyPseudolus
Slave to Hero
Jon WhiteMiles Gloriosus
A Warrior
Bob AlmquistEronius
An Old Man
Mike FinniganLycis
A Buyer and Seller of Courtesans
Hattie LonsdaleTintinabula
A Courtesan
Paula KeenPanacea
A Courtesan
Annie LambVibrata
A Courtesan
Anne-Marie LonsdaleGymnasia
A Courtesan
Ceri ClarkePhilia
A Virgin
Bob Almquist
Tom Lloyd
Jonathan Rees
The Proteans

Production Team

DirectorSophia Kennedy
Musical DirectorIan Sherwood
ViolinCaitlin Sherwood
DrumsPenny Murison
Stage Manager and PropertiesJohn Newton
PromptJohn Newton
Lighting and SoundAndrew Poole
Front of HouseJohn Atkins
Keith Phillips
Programme and Ticket DesignSarah Sherwood
Programme SalesLouie Atkins
Tracey Wallace
RaffleJane Lloyd
Joe Lloyd
Cathy Lloyd
Bar ManagersGeorge Dutton
Noreen Dutton
Norman Withenshawe
Sue Lake

Our sincere thanks to Normal Wythenshawe for transporting the seating and Mike Finnigan for the construction of the seating.