TVD’s The Idelic Hour with Jon Sidel

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Once upon a time, not too long ago, we took a day out in Manchester / We all fall down, there’s not enough hours in the day / Played a bit of football, fell into the union / Barged our way into the toilet with the kung fu king

There’s not enough hours in the day / I remember seeing someone dressed in a suit, looking like a lunatic / And we all fall down, there’s not enough hours in a trip

Growing up Jewish on the east side of Manhattan, our family went to the theatre. I’ve always had a soft spot for 1960s Broadway musicals. I’ve always wanted to do a modern take on A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

The musical tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The plot displays many classic elements of “farce,” including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity (frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from a line often used by vaudeville comedians to begin a story:

“A funny thing happened on the way to the theater.”

I truly relate to the concept. I’m not sure what a “Whipping Piccadilly” means, but that’s the song that sparked this week’s Idelic Hour playlist. In fact, this week’s set was created over the last two weeks during which friends and family have come and departed. Our boy Jonah turned 15 and time, life, and our planet keeps spinning.