ROMANS, friends and local residents, lend us your ears, Abbots Langley Gilbert and Sullivan Society is reviving its summer show tradition with Stephen Sondheim's musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Inspired by the satirical farces created by ancient Roman playwright Plautus, the play is a raunchy tale about a slave named Pseudolus, who attempts to woo the affections of the comely but intellectually challenged Philia on behalf of his master, Hero. In exchange, Pseudolus will gain his freedom, which sounds like a pretty straightforward deal but as with most musical comedies, straightford it is not.

Actor Graham Jackson, who usually plays one of the comic roles in the society's productions, is directing the show, which comes to Henderson Hall from Tuesday, June 12 to Saturday, June 16.

Graham has previously directed shows for The Putteridge Bury Gilbert and Sullivan Society and the Wheatsheaf Players in Luton where he lives.

Having performed the play serveral years ago, Graham leapt at the chance to do Forum for the society's restored summer production.

"When the chance came for me to direct, I thought I've got to do Forum. It's one of the funniest shows ever. Frankie Howerd was in the original West End cast and he based his hit comedy Up Pompeii on this.

"It's perfect for a summer show because it gives people who might not normally take a lead role the chance to shine," says Graham. "There's a lot of movement in the show and it doesn't stop for one minute. I've made it deliberately pacy, energetic and visually loud, and I've been stunned by the cast performances. I've always said if you do a smaller show in summer that's where you get to do your training. That's where you learn to breathe it.

"All of the 24 cast members have a named character and some came up with their own names, so we've got Nausea, Ludicrous and Erroneous and other Life of Brian style names."

To prepare for the show, the cast visited the Verulamium Museum in St Albans to look at Roman costume and architecture.

"We went along to have a look round and get ideas about Roman Britain and they gave us costumes to wear," says Graham. "The clothes were ones which would have been worn by settlers from St Albans. Then we went around doing different poses in various room layouts. Visitors thought we were tour guides."

Graham says the visit also provided inspiration for the set.

"The action basically takes place in front of three houses on a Roman street, so we've given it some levels with columns and steps. I bought a book from the museum to look at the shapes and structures.

"It's not too difficult to create costumes for because it's what you'd call a sword and sandals production, though the biggest challenge I suppose was clothing the two eunuchs, who are not wearing much at all."

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is playing at Henderson Hall, Abbots Langley on June 12-16 at 7.45pm.

Tickets: 0845 6440635 or www.algss.org.uk