One Man, Two Guvnors | From Britain to Broadway

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   One Man, Two Guvnors hits the big apple!

 

One Man, Two Guvnors, the feel-good comedy sensation that’s been taking the UK by storm moved to New York’s Broadway this April to massive critical acclaim. Set in 1960’s Brighton, the show is about a character who spots a chance to earn extra cash by serving two gangster type bosses at the same time. The laughs come from the hilarious set pieces, the wit of the script and the physical comedy from the brilliant lead James Corden. One man, two guvnors has been getting rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. Here are two quotes from leading American publications.

This virtuoso banquet of slapstick farce and verbal jousting brings with it a shocking revelation: How starved we were for comedy. TimeOut NY 5 out of 5 stars

If you’re not having a good time at this show, you may be on the wrong medication. The Hollywood Reporter

One Man, Two Guvnors is on at the Music Box Theatre from April 18^th and features the original cast from the West End led by James Corden. It’s produced by Bob Boyett in collaboration with the National Theatre. The Music Box theatre picked up the Tony Award this year for the brilliant “War Horse”. It also gave Broadway Alan Bennett’s “The History Boys,” which won the Tony in 2006 and also featured a young James Corden. The show starts April 2012. If you want to get tickets before the show is sold out try here.

 

One Man, Two Guvnors Story

One man, two guvnors is about a character called Francis Henshall who after getting fired from his skiffle band gets hired as a bodyguard to Francis Crabbe. Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect money from his fiancée’s dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers.

Henshall, a large, dough faced, always hungry jack-the-lad is holed up at the Cricketers’ Arms with Crabbe but spots an opportunity so takes a second job with Stanley Stubbers who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. Of course Stubbers does not realise that Rachel is disguised as Crabbe. Francis must keep his two guvnors apart to keep the ruse going.

One Man, Two Guvnors is based on ‘The Servant of Two Masters’ by Carlo Goldoni. It’s an 18^th century commedia deli and is pretty funny in its original form. The writer Richard Bean sat with a literal translation so that he could get to the heart of the story. Bean transformed this story into a delirious English carry-on set in 1963’s Brighton.

Bean has relocated the story of one man, two guvnors to 1960’s Brighton and laced the script with crazy carry-on type humour. The script is a mixture of wisecracks, sight gags and fiendish moments of audience participation with scenes and dialogue that often leave the audience helpless with hilarity. One critic said of one man, two guvnors “It’s like a verbal onslaught of jokes and quips which leave you helpless to the hilarity.”

The music throughout the show is played by a skiffle band. This style of music works really well with one man, two guvnors. The band is also included within one man, two guvnors. Another nice touch is that the skiffle band play songs between scene changes.

Adapting one man, two guvnors for an American audience

 Before coming to Broadway, the playwright Richard Bean told the BBC that he would change parts of one man, two guvnors for an American audience. He said “There are jokes within one man, two guvnors that only make sense to a British audience. The biggest changes will be to all the cricket references”. This is no easy task considering one comedy scene that revolves around a life size cut out of cricket legend WG Grace.

Perhaps Bean will replace those references with the closest American sport he can think of. Would baseball work as well? Yet despite these changes Richard Bean has promised that any changes won’t be too extreme. The comedy is very much based on early English slapstick theatre so Bean has no desire to ruin that important element in the play.

Despite the fears of one man, two guvnors humour being lost in translation Bean’s tweaks and subsequent market research worked. Most American reviews said the Anglicized presentation wasn’t an issue. The producer of one man, two guvnors is hoping to not only include the lead character James Corden, but also the rest of the British cast. They are hoping for a Broadway transfer in time for the Tony Awards cut-off date.

 

Mini Bio of James Corden | The star of one man, two guvnors

Francis is played by James Corden. In the United Kingdom Corden has received virtually universal acclaim for his performance in one man, two guvnors. Critics and audiences alike have praised him for how he deftly deals with the farcical elements of the play. Corden’s athleticism belies his weight. It seems as though the american press has also been raving about him. The Hollywood Reporter called him a “supreme Jester”.

He tumbles over furniture while catching peanuts in his mouth and in one scene beats himself up with wild abandon. He also successfully creates a direct relationship with the audience with asides and ad-libs, as he involves audience members in the mad antics happening on stage.

He chats with the audience like we are all best friends chatting in a bar. Corden says of performing in one man, two guvnors “The greatest thing is that you never do the same show twice. Every night is different.” When interviewed recently James said about his character Francis in one man, two guvnors“I think he’s got an urge to get his leg over, have a good meal and a drink and if he gets that it’s been a good day. He’s pretty similar to lots of my mates.”

Corden is the writer and star of the cult classic, British comedy Gavin & Stacy which appeared on BBC America a couple of years ago. If you have not had a chance to see it, check it out because it is a quintessential British gem. Corden is not new to the theatre either having played Timms in the History Boys in the United Kingdom’s famous National theatre. James then toured with the show internationally including a stint on Broadway at the Music Box theatre where 1 man 2 guvnors will also be hosted.

Corden is just as funny offstage as on. He emerged as the ringleader of Broadway’s young cast of “The History Boys,” merrily rounding up everyone for pints at Angus McIndoe after each performance. “They certainly had a lot of fun while they were here,” says a person who worked on the show.

 

Final thoughts and comments on one man, two guvnors

So with all the positive comments about one man, two guvnors, does anybody have anything negative to say about the show. Actually yes they do. A few critics said that the second part of the show was not as strong as the first half. The Financial Times said that during the first half of the show they “OK, OK: I laughed my goddamn head off.” but felt the plot during the 2nd half was flimsy and it showed.  However, the feel good mood has been established so well in the first half of one man, two guvnors and the improvisation is so inspired that most people simply do not notice.

I don’t think words alone can help gauge the quality of a play so below is a trailer from one man, two guvnors broadway. 2 guvnors.

 

 Get your tickets here

 

Tweets on one man two guvnors broadway

 One Man, Two Guvnors on Broadway. Haven’t laughed ’til I cried in a long time. Go see this. @Jack_Rivkin

One Man Two Guvnors on Broadway is so good. Lively, hilarious and so much fun!Plus Claire Danes and Damian Lewis in the audience tonight! @BenSandsNY

one Man, two guvnors was a great way to end in NY. I laughed up a lung. Tomorrow Boston @petricat666

 

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