A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
6th - 13th May 1989
Photographs by John Tustin
Production Officials
Director Audrey McL. Raistrick
Musical Director Valerie Walmsley
Cast
Pseudolus Ernest Dawson
Hysterium Don Howcroft
Senex Bill Steel
Hero David Witt
Philia Adrienne Wormald
Domina Margaret Steel
Marcus Lycus Graham Yardley
Miles Gloriosus David Raistrick
Erronius Alec Greaves
Tintinabula Hazel Gray
Panacea Karen Walmsley
Vibrata Tracey Rollinson
Gymnasia Glenys Collinson
The Geminae Janet Witt, Nicola Wesley
Proteans Norman Bowers, Stanley Collinson, Geoff Mann, Ron Finney, Andrew Turton
  • Miles Gloriosus, The Geminae, Vibrata, Tintinabula, Pseudolus, Gymnasia, Panacea and Proteans Miles Gloriosus, The Geminae, Vibrata, Tintinabula, Pseudolus, Gymnasia, Panacea and Proteans
  • Senex, Domina and Hero Senex, Domina and Hero
  • Senex and Philia Senex and Philia
  • Hysterium, Pseudolus and Senex "Everybody Ought To Have A Maid" Hysterium, Pseudolus and Senex "Everybody Ought To Have A Maid"
  • Tintinabula Tintinabula
  • Panacea Panacea
  • Marcus Lycus introduces the Geminae to Pseudolus Marcus Lycus introduces the Geminae to Pseudolus
  • Vibrata, The Geminae, Gymnasia, Panacea, Tintinabula and Pseudolus Vibrata, The Geminae, Gymnasia, Panacea, Tintinabula and Pseudolus
  • Hero and Philia Hero and Philia
  • Erronius and Hysterium Erronius and Hysterium
  • Pseudolus receives a message from the Proteans Pseudolus receives a message from the Proteans
  • Hysterium disguised as Philia with Pseudolus Hysterium disguised as Philia with Pseudolus
  • Philia, Marcus Lycus, Erronius and Miles Gloriosus Philia, Marcus Lycus, Erronius and Miles Gloriosus
  • The Company The Company

Bolton Evening News Review
If you like hilarious evenings - and who doesn't - you will find Walmsley AODS current production much to your taste. For this performance had them rolling in the aisles.

The cause of all this merriment? Shelove and Gelbart's extravaganza mined from the works of Plautus, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" played to the music of Stephen Sondheim (and some of it as difficult to sing as needs be).

Had I known, in my youth, that so much fun could be found in Latin writers, I might have paid more attention to the ablative absolute. As it was, I never seemed to get beyond a chap called Balbus who was, it seemed, obsessed with building a wall.

The cast of "A Funny Thing etc" really let themselves go and threw themselves into the enjoyment of their task. Led by Ernest Dawson as Pseudolus, Bill Steel as Senex, Don Howcroft as Hysterium and Graham Yardley as Lycus there is the inescapable touch of lunacy which is the true mark of farce.

There was scarcely a dull moment. There can be little doubt that this production will go down in Walmsley history.

Charles Petry
Back to top