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I never dreamed I could loathe a Stephen Sondheim musical until I saw this slapstick, carry-on of a farce.
Relying on stock sex-themes from ancient Roman playwright, Plautus, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, strikes me with all the appeal of a regular nudge in the ribs and a persistent wink from a dirty old man in the stalls.
Edward Hall's slick, old-fashioned production, on which every expense has been spared, makes heavyhanded fun of sexual longing.
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A typically British battle of sexual desperation and subterfuge ensues, with Barrit's Pseudolus and a swaggering, athletic warrior, played by hopelessly miscast Philip Quast, trapped in conflict.
© Associated Newspapers Ltd.
