PAGE TAlb, THE MICHIGAN DAILY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1965 PAGE TWOTHE MICHIGAN DAILY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1965 'A Funny Thing' Makes Hysterical Comedy; Sop1is Perform BreeZy Bawd Rendition AcrossV Campus II in Trueblood Aud. 8 p.nm.-The School of Music Bandorama presents the Univer- sity Bands. William D. Revelli conducting. at Hill Aud. 1M(sob) ALAN, k! r IM L.L. . I,.i nv i air By FRITZ MILLER Qne- of the theatrical highlights of any year in Ann Arbor is the production mounted by an inspir- ed and infectious band of Sopho- mores which is labeled "Soph Show. This year's production, "A Fun- ny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," is breezier and bawdier than its recent prece- dents. But this year's sophomore cast is more than up to it - a buzzing bursting crew which meets the challenge of "comedy, tonight" with a precision and bra- vado that had the 700 spectators in Lydia Mendefssohn cheering for niore than five minutes when the dust cleared and the curtain had settled. Appropriate End As a matter of fact, the per- formance ended just the way a Soph Show should. Heady with the applause and cheers, the cast broke character and enthusiastic-I ally dragged their terse, tireless director Charles Feuer out onto the stage for a well-deserved round of bear hugs and cheers. The show is based on a half dozen plays by Plautus (but sounding more like Aristophanes), Bert Shevelove and Larry Gel- bart succeeded in transposing the humor that was Greece, the baw-j dry that was Rome into "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." Somehow "Forum" contains a mixture of harlotry, virginity, leachery, transvetitism, and young love in a mixture that is vulgar but not offensive-probably due to the pace of the show which does not allow contemplation of all the bawdry. Plot Underneath Underneath all the rollicking slapstick there is a plot, fantas- tically intricate as it is. I wouldn't dare to attempt more than a briefI resume. Pseulolus, a slave, can' gain his freedom if he can ob- tain a certain Philia for Hero, his master. Philia is a virgin (of course), although belonging to Ly- : cus, a dealer in the flesh ofj women. She had been sold to a soldier, Miles Gloriosus. By a se- ries of complications carefully worked out by the authors and an IBM computer, "Forum" boun- ces from one absurd situation toj another, and finally to a "Happy{ Ending" (just like in the silentl movies). The plot line is admittedly thin and contrived, yet "Forum" makes no pretentions about the vaudevil- lian nature of the show. And theG conglomeration of characters is dazzling. Jim Hosbein as Pro- logue and Pseudolus is completely in control of his difficult part, one which ties the show together. Plays Everyone Pseudolus, appropriate to his name, plays just about everyone else's part at one time or another. He is irrelevant, clever, lecherous, and lovable. His voice is excellent and, well, in short, he is fabulous. Hysterium, played by Howard Weinblatt, is a fellow slave of Pseudolus, and is the Ghost of Vaudeville Past. As are most of the characters names, his is sym- bolic: he runs around the stage going into fits on cue. Weinblatt has a tendency to overplay his part. One Funny Scene Hysteriums does pull off one of the funniest scenes in the show, in which he assumes the role of a dead Philia (sort of a Prome-' thius Embalmed) to sav her from Gloriosus. Philia (played by Marcia Huw-' en) apparently learned her man- nerisms in Lovely School. She is danty and virginal (as the part demands), but her unbroken ef- Ph. 483-4680 ent/uu c O&CARPENTER ROAD FREE CAR HEATERS NOW SHOWING FRIDAY, NOV. 19 prese fusiveness is just too much. Miss 4 p.m.-Hans Thirring. of Vien- tectu Huwen has a pleasant voice but na University will speak on "The 8p seems to be reciting the script. Future of Space Industry" in 170 Speec Hero (played by Bob Lederer) Physics-Astronomy. form does not come across, even tak- 7 and 9 p.m.-The Cinema Guild II in ing into consideration the dead- will present Oliver Twist. 8:3 pan nature of his role. His voice 8 P.m. - The Department of cal, is unfortunately not adequate for Speech University Players will per- New the part. form Shakespeare's Henry VI Part men Cast Cohesion _ SATURDAY, NOV. 20 nd 9 p.m.-The Cinema Guild nts Oliver Twist in the Archi- re Aud. p.m. -- The Department of ch University Players will per- Shakespeare's Henry VI Part Trueblood Aud. 30 p.m.-The University Musi- Society Opera presents the York Opera Company in Car- at Hill Aud. - I 0 It is the cohesion and spirit of the cast-as typified by the per- formance of lesser players-which are the motivating force for theG charming evening. Senex (Marc Spirad) is a subtly- played, hen-pecked Roman hus- band. Lycus does a toned-down' performance as a procurer and perhaps might have stepped up his pace a bit. Two smaller characters, Domina (Diane Wittenberg) who is Hero's mother, and Miles Gloriosus (Bill, Hunt) deserve mention. Miss Wit- tenberg, both vocally and phys- ically, fits her unusual part (be- neath Dominas manly facade lurk- ed the heart of a. .. man?). Miles Gloriosus is Vanity personified, one who could put Narcissus to shame. Hunt has the thundering voice necessary for this Mike Hammer of the Roman Empire. Last night was truly "something for everyone, a comedy tonight." The similar theme expressed in both opening and closing chor- uses was "tragedy tomorrow, com- edy tonight." The only tragedy to- morrow will be for those who haven't tickets to SophtShow, be- cause it is sold out. Nanny had been in the family for years. Then, two died mysteriously. Two lived in terror. Nanny wasn't responsible.. was she? 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