A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Libretto

by Larry Gelbart, Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove

Book Overview

Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart Introduction by Larry Gelbart "This brazenly retro Broadway musical, inspired by Plautus, is as timeless as comedy itself." -Vincent Canby, The New York Times "The most urbane and literate musical comedy text ever conceived." -John Simon, New York magazine

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557830649
• ISBN13: 9781557830647
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Applause Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

This play is great to watch and read. I thoroughly enjoyed watching for my Latin class in high schoo

I usually do not enjoy reading something that I've already seen in movie form because I already know the story, however I enjoyed reading the play version. As I read along my memory of the movie came back and I could watch the scenes in my head as I read and sang along. You can definitely see the influence of ancient Rome in this comedic contemporary play. Steven Sondheim also does amazing work with the songs once again.

A Great Sondheim Score!

The first commercially successful show for Stephen Sondheim, "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" is a delightful score that exhibited creativity and imagination and offered everyone a look at the marvelous work that was to come.

Captures the Essence of Forum, and then some!

"Forum" is one of those rare musical comedies...one of those we hardly ever stuble across. "Forum" is actually funny. And I don't just mean "haha" funny. I mean roll in the aisles and laugh until it hurts funny. The jokes just never stop coming-even during the musical numbers!Here, one can see the springboard for three Tony award winning broadway productions: the script. This is the foundation of "Forum's" comic genius, with a combination of low-brow vaudeville and high-brow wordplay. Comedy in this show hits you at every level in every direction!The best part is that several songs cut from the show are included in an appendix. There is also a great introduction that explains that long and rough journey "Forum" took before it became a huge hit.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

This book was very enjoyable. I would recomend it to anyone looking for a light hearted book to read that is not to difficult. This book makes you think of what could happen in your everyday life. I think everyone should read this book.

A Whole LOT of FUNNY things happen on the way to the forum!

True love, true lust, a pimp, a pauper, fun and frolic, mystery and mayhem, and just when you think there is no hope for a fairytale ending (as they say in the play "we'll never find happiness!""Well, we'll just have to be happy without it!") a happy ending (A total surprise to everyone including the cast!)! Based on a Greek comedy (think B.C!), and revamped in the early 60's with music by Sondheim (Into The Woods, West Side Story), and script by Gelbart (*M*A*S*H*), the play stays true to it's root's (with every male in a dress, O.K. toga!) but throws in a lil' of that almost, but not quite to the edge 60's humor (take for instance when three cast members all end up in a wedding gown, but one was not exactly born to be a bride-if you know what I mean!) If you love Shakespeare, and Austin Powers, or if you're looking for something in-between, try "Funny Thing"! This play keeps you on your toes with it's many twists and turns, hilarious cases of mistaken identity, and out right tummy ticklers. It's sheer fun!