From docs:

```
apply(object[, args[, kwargs]]) -> value

Call a callable object with positional arguments taken from the tuple args,
and keyword arguments taken from the optional dictionary kwargs.
Note that classes are callable, as are instances with a __call__() method.

Deprecated since release 2.3. Instead, use the extended call syntax:
    function(*args, **keywords).
```

So you have:
```
In [2]: f = lambda x, y: x + y

In [3]: p = partial(apply, f)

In [4]: p((1, 3))
Out[4]: 4

In [5]: f(*(1, 3))
Out[5]: 4
```

you are saying you don't want to add the * for the squence but prefer a deprecated function?