Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4944
Printed Date: 5/13/25 at 6:50am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Posted By: Suzbug4
Subject: Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Date Posted: 1/29/11 at 10:40am
I am interested in renting (or buying) a specific prop for the show - the Domina bust.
I found a couple on line; one to rent for about $132.00 (our prop budget is less than that) AND one to buy for $25.00 (but that one isn't a full "bust" just the head which would eliminate one of the funniest bits).
Has anyone done this hilarious show, and do you have a Domina bust that you would sell or rent to me for a reasonable amount?
We were going to have one made, but the "sculpture" decided not to help us.
The show opens the last weekend of March 2011.
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Replies:
Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 1/30/11 at 1:12pm
Go for the $25.00 one. You don't need to have Domina's actual bust represented in the sculpture. In fact, the line is funnier if it isn't. Everyone knows that a bust - in the statutory sense - is a representation of the head and shoulders of the subject. It catches the audience by surprise (key word: surprise) when Domina says "and carry my bust with pride" - particularly if Senex does a bit of a double take when she says it. The head alone is all that you need for the joke.
"Forum" is one of those shows ("Pirates of Penzance" is another) which has been ruined over the years with people going overboard on props, prop gags, and other inappropriate attempts at non sequitur humor. I'm an old fogey who happens to have actually seen the original production back in the 1960's, and I'm here to tell you, it's a "verbal" show. You don't need all the stupid sight gags. Remember, this show was written by the guy who wrote MASH for TV. Verbal Humor - there's nothing like it.
Richard Lester (straight off of "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!" - excellent films in and of themselves) tragically destroyed the essence of "Forum" when he directed the movie. Now, a generation or two later, people turn to the movie to emulate how the play should be done. They shouldn't. It's a disaster.
"Pirates of Penzance" has suffered a similar fate. Joseph Papp's production back in the 1970's took a few updating liberties with the show - particularly with the casting of Rex Smith and Linda Ronstadt, and having a young and virile Pirate Captain in Kevin Kline. But the show, in general, was amazingly true to the spirit of the original 1870's production. (Watch the available DVD of "Penzance" that was filmed when it was first performed in Central Park to see what I mean.) The trouble is, succeeding people used the "updating" concept to tart up a great show with totally unnecessary props, gags and musical inconsistencies. One or two, as in the Joseph Papp production, can be funny. More than that is amateurish, sophomoric, and just plain deadly dull.
Sorry about the rant. It's a pet peeve of mine. But, to get back to the original point, you don't need an elaborate bust to get a spectacular laugh. Please, take my word for it.
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Posted By: neilfortin
Date Posted: 2/01/11 at 12:47pm
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Hey we do have a full bust if you would like. It was a life cast of our actress who played Domina. We could rent the whole thing to you for $50 bucks for the run of your show.
Where are you located?
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