‘A Funny Thing’ lives up to title

It’s very rare that I see a production about which I cannot complain – this actor was dull, the sets didn’t fit the script, the costumes were atrocious or any number of other irritants. “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” the final show of the IU Department of Theatre and Drama season, numbers among the few for which I can genuinely offer no criticism – sets, costumes and actor performances were all good to outstanding, particularly in the case of guest actor Darin De Paul in the lead role of Pseudolus.\nThe plot follows Pseudolus and his quest for freedom by helping his master win the girl next door.\nDe Paul, a Broadway veteran, showed his years of experience and kept the audience laughing from the opening act, “Comedy Tonight”– a promise the cast fulfilled – to the closing number. His timing was immaculate, his facial expressions perfect and he didn’t overpower his student castmates. \nSpeaking of those student actors, I have to give props – no pun intended – to “The Proteans.” Arguably the hardest-working members of the cast, these nameless characters make up the backbone of the play, filling the roles of Roman citizens, foot soldiers, slaves and eunuchs as needed. Junior Jake Haynie and sophomores William Carlos Angulo and Marc R. Winski showed their potential as they switched seamlessly from “manly-man” soldiers to giggling eunuchs, including a few particularly challenging transformations in which they must have exited stage right, run around the set to stage left, done a five-second costume change and reappeared on stage, all in less than a minute or two.\nIndividually, the costumes were decent to excellent, the latter exemplified in the bright, colorfully unified outfits of Marcus Lycus and his courtesans. From the bright gold costume and feathered helmet of Gymnasia to Panacea’s hot pink fans and Vibrata’s purple-and-black zebra print outfit, complete with tail, the outrageous bikinis of the six courtesans were outshone only by that of Marcus Lycus, played by senior Quinto Ott. Clad in a tunic made up of green cheetah-print accented with shiny gold and fluorescent pink, a purple wrap, Ott’s perfect coif and his own fine performance were the final touches on a wonderfully outrageous outfit. Of course, we can’t leave out the red sparkly outfit – complete with bells at the arms, wrists, ankles and chests – of Tintinabula or the Geminae twins’ green bikinis trimmed with bunches of grapes.\nThe set was functional and fit well with the rest of the production – the three houses were distinct, each fitting their owners and I’d describe the overall effect as whimsical, supporting the play’s over-the-top comedic atmosphere.\nSpeaking of atmosphere, the light design was well put-together to enhance the mood. This includes both noticeable effects, such as the comedy and tragedy masks projected onto the closed curtain at the beginning to the more subtle brightening and dimming that the audience rarely consciously takes note of but which heightens the actors’ performances.\nAs for the singing and dancing – lest we forget this is a musical – the choreography, while not excessive, was complex and impressive, particularly on the part of the courtesans, who each had a solo as they were introduced; for example, freshman Kerry Ipema as Panacea gave the audience a few slow-motion acrobatic moves, while Alyson Bloom’s Tintinabula had to worry about the bells that jangled with every move she made. The singing was, at worst, acceptable and, at best, outstanding.\nOverall, I have no choice but to give the production two thumbs up – and trust me, I’d point out flaws if I could find them.\n“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” will run at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with a 2:30 matinee Saturday. Student tickets are $10.