Categories: News

Colossal cast confirmed for A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum

BREAKING NEWS

It’s set to be one of the biggest theatrical events of the year, and with a cast of this calibre, one can understand why.

AussieTheatre can confirm 8 principal cast members set to appear in the Australian revival of Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum, opening at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne this October.

The colossal comedy lineup includes Mitchell Butel (Hysterium), Shane Bourne (Senex), Magda Szubanski (Domina), Gerry Connelly (Marcus Lycus), Adam Murphy (Miles Gloriosus), Bob Hornery (Erronius), Hugh Sheridan (Hero) and music theatre favourite Christie Whelan (Philia) alongside 2012 Australian of the Year Geoffrey Rush in this hilarious, fun-filled, fast paced farce.

After the successful re-working of Love Never Dies, director Simon Phillips and costume/set designer Gabriela Tylesova will team up again to tackle the farcical Romanesque world of Pseudolus (Geoffrey Rush), the cunning slave who will do just about anything to secure his freedom.

Choreographer Andrew Hallsworth and Musical Director Matthew Frank will also join the creative team along with Musical Supervisor Guy Simpson and Associate Director Dean Bryant. Composer Stephen Sondheim will also be making a trip Down Under to see this phenomenal cast in action, and as Producer John Frost says, it’s a tribute to the talent involved.

“The fact that Stephen Sondheim is coming to Australia to see the production at The Maj tells you how much a landmark this musical comedy promises to be.”

Her Majesty’s Theatre was the home of the original JC WIlliams production of Forum in 1966, and it is fitting that this revival will open 46 years later in the very same theatre.

Cast will commence rehearsals on September 17 to polish their vaudevillian comedy and sensational slapstick ahead of an October 27 Opening Night.

For more information visit funnything.com.au

or follow the production on Twitter @FunnyThingOz

 

Erin James

Erin James is AussieTheatre.com's former Editor in Chief and a performer on both stage and screen. Credits include My Fair Lady, South Pacific and The King and I (Opera Australia), Love Never Dies and Cats (Really Useful Group), Blood Brothers (Enda Markey Presents), A Place To Call Home (Foxtel/Channel 7) and the feature film The Little Death (written and directed by Josh Lawson).

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