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Arts&Entertainment
The Guardsman
October 21, 2009
Theater Review
By Dominick Delgadillo staff writer
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Well, that's a lie, but it is the title of the most recent play performed and produced by City College students. I watched the final performance of the production on Oct. 11. The lights were dimmed as an actor felt his way from behind the curtain to the split, and triumphantly revealed himself to the audience, ready to deliver his prologue. The opening song, “Comedy Tonight,” explained the intentions of the play and the characters' relationships. Did I mention it was a musical? The story has all the ingredients for a great comedy. It involves quite a few kooky characters, each with his or her own agenda, all of whom collide with bouts of selfish intent, mistaken identity and unlucky timing. In Rome, about 2000 B.C., Pseudolus, the slave of Hero and his parents Senex and Domina, dreams of being free. Hero
becomes enamored with a beautiful blond girl he sees on the balcony next door. Pseudolus warns him that the balcony belongs to the house of Marcus Lycus, a merchant in the trade of attractive women. Despite Pseudolus’ warnings, Hero falls in love. While Hero’s parents are away, Pseudolus strikes a deal — if he can get the girl for Hero, he will be set free. It takes all of Pseudolus’ cunning to overcome the greed of Lycus in order to get the contract to the blond virgin Philia. He also overcomes the jarring antics of the other, far more rule-abiding slave of Hero’s house, Hysterium. While I had issues with some of the musicians and the occasional inaudible line, I had to remember this was a community college play. All things considered, the doors didn’t stick and there was no white space between lines. The dance choreography was simple and added to the performance of the songs. The sets were impeccably painted, the parts well-cast and the makeup was especially well-suited for the
Ramsey El-Qare / The Guardsman
(R-L) Dennis Chase as Senex, Christopher Blaise as Pseudolus, and Spencer Peterson as Hysterium act out a scene in the City College production “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” on Oct 10.
part of Marcus Lycus. While the script was not an original work from anyone involved with City College, the players were still responsible for bringing the characters to life and the audience to laughs. With only five weeks for production, they certainly hit their mark.
The Oct. 11 performance was the last of this run, but I would assuredly recommend attending future productions. “The Time of Your Life,” directed by Susan Jackson will be performed Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 23 to Oct. 31 at 8:00 p.m. in the Diego Rivera Theatre on Ocean
campus. Additional performances are scheduled for Oct. 25 and Nov.1 at 2:00 p.m. Knowing this director, I'm sure this new play will also be a romp. E-mail: ddelgadillo@theguardsman.com