<p>The entire cast of “Forum” in rehearsal at Coaster Theater.</p>

It may be the funniest thing ever written. If it were any funnier, it would be regulated in order to prevent death by exposure to dangerous levels of hilarity.

But dont take my word for it.

Google funniest Broadway musical, and youll find Stephen Sondheims A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum right at the top. Yes, its wackier than Spamalot, more sidesplitting than The Producers, and a lot bawdier than The Book of Mormon.

Yes, this is one funny musical, and its coming to Cannon Beach tomorrow, Friday, June 21, for a two-month run at the Coaster Theatre. If youve seen the movie version, with Zero Mostel reprising his Broadway role, you still aint seen nothin yet. The movie, hilarious as it was, cut most of the music and rearranged the plot.

And what a plot it is! Senex lives in his house in ancient Rome with his wife Domina, son Hero and slaves Hysterium and Pseudolus, the main character, who wishes to win his freedom by any means. Hero reveals to Pseudolus that he is in love with Philia, who lives next door, and the slave promises to help him win the fair maiden in trade for his freedom. One problem: the virginal Philia is owned by Lycus, a dealer in beautiful women, and she has been promised to the great warrior Miles Glorious, who is on his way to claim her that very day. Did I mention Erronius, who is away looking for his children who were stolen in infancy by pirates? Or that Pseudolus steals Hysteriums book of potions and has Hero read him a recipe for sleeping potion (Pseudolus cant read; hes a slave, after all); the only ingredient he lacks is mares sweat, and Pseudolus goes off to find donor horses.

That takes care of the first half of Act 1 or so. Then things get complicated, with ribaldry, puns flying fast, more slamming doors than a Marx Brothers movie, and one case of mistaken identity after another, as well as a few acerbic observations on social class. As Chrisse Roccaro, director of the production puts it, Its a ludicrous tale of love and misadventure, a flimsy story upon which to hang every old vaudeville gag.

For any culture vultures out there who have to take Forum seriously, you can tell your friends youre going to the show not because its roots are in vaudeville but because theyre in the theater of ancient Rome. Its even true. The farces of Plautus (254-184 B.C.), with titles like Pseudolus and Miles Gloriosus, are some of the earliest surviving Roman literature.

Pseudolus in Forum is played by Darren Hall, and he has the most demanding role in the musical. He has a lot of lines, a lot of songs, and most of the plot (to the extent that there is a plot) hangs upon his devious improvisations to gain his freedom. Its also a role played, at one time or another, by Zero Mostel, Nathan Lane, Phil Silvers and Whoopie Goldberg. Hall is undaunted, though. He saw the revival with Goldberg in the role and says, Its a role Ive loved for a very long time. Im honored to be able to play Pseudolus.

Ellen Blankenship plays Domina, who dominates her spouse, Senex, played by Bob Goldberg. Blankenship insists that she has not been typecast, but as an actress is, accessing a part of my personality, exaggerating it. Ryan Hull, who plays Miles Gloriosus, is a teddy bear, according to his fellow actors. He attributes his success in the role to director Roccaros instruction to channel Bluto.

Actors David Sweeney and John Gosshuesch are crucial to much of the shtick. Sweeney, as Hysterium, is superior to Pseudolus, who always gets the better of him (Abbot and Costello, he says). And watch for a deft exchange between Lycus (Gosshuesch) and Pseudolus, in which the lines and punch lines fly back and forth with vaudevillian speed.

In short, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum lives up to the promise of its opening song, Comedy Tonight!

Something familiar

Something peculiar

Something for everybody:

Comedy tonight!

Something thats gaudy,

Something thats bawdy

Goodness and badness,

Panic is madness

This time it all turns out all right!

Tragedy tomorrow,

Comedy tonight!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum runs Friday, June 21 to Saturday, Aug. 31 at the Coaster Theatre, 108 N. Hemlock St. in Cannon Beach. Tickets range from $18 to $23 and are available online at www.coastertheater.com or by calling the box office at 503-436-1242.