Search - Stephen Sondheim :: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1996 Broadway Revival Cast)

Music in Good 'Forum'

goodie2000 | Mesa, AZ | 05/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The number one reason to buy this remake is this: They took all of us musical theatre people's advice and speed it up! The tempo of this rendidtion is quick, smart, well timed musically and comically, and wonderfully orchestrated.Saks and his team have turned in a fun album of a show that sometimes needs to be seen (Coutesans, Marcus Lycus) to be appreciated. Great attention was paid to sound effects which helps the listening audience understand the action that more than likely was happening on the stage at a particular momnet. And that, my friends, is the mark of a good musical theatre recording.Much has been said about the individual performances, all of which are clear, well sung, and spoken. However, to say they are good performers is to take away from the real genius here. To make this musical work (and I've done it a couple of times) one has to find a complete cast of talented character actors. Romeo, Maria, Hamlet, and Barbara please sit down and make way for the circus fare. Saks has found his faux with the likes of Lane, Sabella, and Linn-Baker.At times the orchestrations drag on and the quality of the actual recording could be better if you have an audiophile ear. But for the most part this is a must have for the musical theatre person."

Tragedy Tomorrow, Comedy Tonight!

Lisa A. Nichols | Ann Arbor, Michigan | 05/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My first experience with Forum was through a friend's high school production. Most of the humor went over my head, as well as the actors'! Ten years later, I found this recording, and it is marvelous!Nathan Lane is priceless, doing exactly what he does best. Of course, pair him with Ernie Sabella and you really can't go wrong. "The House of Marcus Lycus" and "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" are two of the highlights here.There really isn't a low point at all, Sondheim even handled his romantic leads with a good bit of wit and irony. A must have for any Sondhein fan!"

Timeless and Classic

Bob Terwilliger | 05/06/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I personally am not a fan of classic musical theatre (although the time it was written may not be classic, but I do consider the music to be), but I love this album! The lyrics are witty and clever, and the wonderful music is all that I'd expect from Sondheim. This is a sure bet for anyone who's looking for a light-hearted musical where everything turns out okay in the end."