Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...An homage to the Roman comedy of Plautus, "Forum" is full of such perfection of form - "Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight" is a pretty good line, all in all, and the tune ain't bad, either. But it's far from an easy show to do, especially in a smaller theater, given its overtly vaudevillian style and reliance on comedic shtick of the very highest order. Weber's generally well-sung production, which is led by Bill Larkin as Pseudolus, has its moments and pleasures for Sondheim fans (including the situational number "Echo Song," cut from the original production but restored in some revivals). But it's a bit heavy-handed in places, hitting head-on where a glancing blow better serves the material."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...Porchlight Music Theatre’s all-Sondheim season began with tragedy (“Sweeney Todd”), moved on to autobiography (“Sondheim on Sondheim”), and is now drawing to a close with “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” the zany 1962 “comedy tonight” romp that marked the first time the Broadway master created both the music and lyrics for a show. (He had earlier written the lyrics only for “West Side Story” and “Gypsy.”) As if any further proof were needed, this lineup has demonstrated Sondheim’s brilliance at capturing the distinctive “voice” of myriad theatrical styles."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...Porchlight Music Theatre ends its season-long celebration of Stephen Sondheim with the composer-lyricist’s least characteristic and most playful musical, a Plautine comedy set in ancient Rome and told with a good deal of vaudevillian slapstick. Early on, director Michael Weber inserts some anachronistic visual gags, defying the wishes of Sondheim and book writers Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart to keep things period perfect. But other than that this is an enjoyably straightforward, though not especially inventive, revival."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...The kudos keep coming: Linda Madonia's musical direction is sterling on gold. Megan Truscott's cartoon set sheer inspiration. Alexia Rutherford's caricaturing costumes are worth 1,000 words each, all amusing. Mealah Heidenreich's props deliver solid sight gags. Brenda Didier's playful dances burst with anachronistic pleasures-so many Roman friezes reduced to burlesque hoofing in the monumental "Funeral Sequence" and the ravishing opening and closing numbers. Forum is indeed a "Pretty Little Picture"-no, pretty little masterpiece. The musical may not be able to wake the dead but it can certainly convulse the living. A very funny thing happened on the way to Stage 773. You get the joke. Please."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...The genius of Burt Shevelove & Larry Gelbart’s book together with the fine melodies and witty lyrics by Stephen Sondheim make A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To the Forum play as a hilarious evening of theatre. This show is so much fun that you’ll be swept into the world of Pseudolus as we cheer for him to get his freedom. As a comedy, of course, it has a happy ending. You’ll leave the theatre smiling!"
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...It’s such a winner that every actor who has opened in the role of Pseudolus on Broadway has won a Best Leading Actor Tony. Porchlight Music Theatre, Chicago’s home for intimate full out musicals, has mounted a delightful full powered version of the work that entertains from start to flourishing finish."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...For years and years, I have made it a special point to attend the opening night of every Porchlight Music Theatre Company. They are very special, indeed. With all the openings in town, plus having many grandkids who have shows to see as well, I missed the opening of their current production, Stephen Sondheim’s “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” with a book by Larry Gelbert and Burt Shevlove. Tonight, I saw what I had missed earlier and realized just how powerful the old adage,’better late than never” is! This finely tuned cast under the clever direction of Michael Weber, truly knows and understands what these creators were thinking when this show was written."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...Want to see what comedy is supposed to look like? Pay a visit to Stage 773 for Porchlight’s final production of their 20th season, where theatergoers can travel back to Ancient Rome, when freeing slaves was the latest fad and hilarity was the word of the day. In a production as outrageously funny as a man dressed in a blond wig and as fast-paced as a sexy Etruscan dancer, this brilliantly performed musical is further proof why Porchlight Music Theatre is one of Chicago’s finest venues."
Huffington Post - Highly Recommended
"...As has been the case with most recent Porchlight productions, the score is well represented (music direction by Linda Madonia), with a true focus on delivering Sondheim's lyrical puns with panache. Choreographer Brenda Didier demonstrates her gift for resourcefulness by making good use of Stage 773's limited space, giving her troupe of quivering courtesans some clever movements."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Highly Recommended
"...Director Michael Weber earns the highest praise for orchestrating the production with so much pace and visual flair, and occasionally, sly wit. Weber's triumph is best exemplified by a late scene in which virtually every character is turned loose to dash around the stage as the narrative pulsates to its joyous conclusion. The scene, which goes on for several minutes, is a marvel of synchronized timing that leaps from giggle to giggle without once flagging in comic invention. The scene demonstrates that Weber is a master of that most difficult of dramatic forms, the farce. It would be a pleasure to see him at the helm of a revival of "Charley's Aunt" or "Noises Off.""
The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended
"...Director Michael Weber paces and casts this show perfectly. The time flies by because the superb ensemble is having so much fun. They excel at staged game-playing. In the lead, Larkin does an amazing and tireless job wrangling this madcap comedy. He's-gotta-a- Mel-Brooks quality as he works every angle scamming his way to freedom. His crackerjack sidekicks; Jason Grimm, Andrew Lund, Jaymes Osborne do anything and everything to get a laugh. There is plenty of crossdressing, chase scenes, and mistaken identities as the buffoonery rolls on."
