A funny thing happens on the way to the Signature Theatre - theatergoers tend to lose their sense of direction. It's easy to wonder if the driver took the wrong exit on the highway. Surrounded by cheap gas stations and auto repair shops, the theater's old brick building is hard to spot. It looks just like the auto shop next door, or down the street, or a mile down the road. In fact, it used to be one.
Parking is limited, so plan to arrive 45 minutes before the show starts. The lobby is dark and drafty, and the walls are bare except for one, which is covered with black and white pictures of the past 10 years of shows.
After the house opens, the ushers escort theatergoers to walk through the stage, through the set and to the very back of the building to sit in a padded folding chair on risers obviously constructed by the technicians in the scene shop.
After looking around the 150-seat theatre, the theatergoer only realizes that the stage manager and lighting crew are practically sitting in the audience; there are ladders hung on the back wall because there is no space for them anywhere else, the height of the set far exceeds the level where the lights are hung, and if someone stacked two or three chairs together he could probably hang from the pipes on the ceiling.
Don't let the theatre's setup be deceiving, however.
As the lights are brought up and the show opens with the company singing "Comedy Tonight," actors prance across the stage and through the audience with a Three Stooges faade, keeping the audience laughing throughout the entire number.
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," a musical by Stephen Sondheim, best known as the lyricist for "West Side Story," opens with a comedic song including lyrics "a tragedy tomorrow, a comedy tonight" - which is exactly what the show is.
Based on the plays of Plautus and set in Rome, the character Pseudolus (Floyd King) is a slave in the house of Senex (Harry A. Winter) who will do just about anything to attain his freedom. His chance comes when Senex and his wife Domina (Donna Migliaccio) leave for a few days to visit her mother in the countryside. Hero (Sean MacLaughlin), Senex's son, is madly in love with Philia (Lauren Williams), a virgin courtesan in the house of Lycus (Christopher Bloch). Hero promises Pseudolus his freedom if he can wed the two before his parents return. Not even the witty slave can foresee what hilariously complicated events will follow in the days to come.
MacLaughlin excellently portrays a young teenager in love. His voice cracks and his hands shake in "Love, I Hear." He plays such a handsome, memorable character that every audience member who has ever been in love can empathize with him. Williams' interpretation of Philia, the ditzy, yet beautiful courtesan, complements MacLaughlin well, and together the two young lovers are a perfect pair.
Hysterium (Buzz Mauro), another servant whose personality is evident in his name, and Pseudolus are by far the most hilarious characters in "Forum."
Hysterium tries to keep Pseudolus from manipulating neighbors in order to wed Hero and Philia, but in the end he realizes he can only prevent Pseudolus from getting caught.
The three Proteans, including AU alumnus David Covington, are also notable characters, taking on several roles (eunuchs, foot soldiers, Romans and servants, among others). They frantically run on and off stage in order to portray each character, but do so with charisma and humor that keeps the audience laughing throughout the show.
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is a hilarious musical that should be seen by all in need of an unforgettable comedy. For those non-theatergoers, help a friend out and drive them down to Signature, enjoy a wonderful show and even fill up on cheap gas for the ride home.
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" runs until Dec. 14. Performances are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m.
The Signature Theatre is located at 3806 South Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington, Va. It is five miles from Washington, immediately off of I-395 at the Shirlington exit.
For tickets, call (800) 955-5566 or (703) 218-6500, or visit www.tickets.com or www.signature-theatre.org. Ticket prices range from $28 to $42.
