REVIEW: One Man, Two Guvnors
Presented By: Hunter School of the Performing Arts Season: March 2 – March 4 Venue: The Hunter Theatre (Cameron St, Broadmeadow) Booking: N/A Director: Kath Leahy Writer: Richard Bean
Cast:
Nick Thoroughgood as Francis
Lucy Scott as Roscoe/Rachel
Sebastian Szeszeran as Stanley
Callum Barnes as Alan
Maisie Owens as Pauline
Alex Pitt as Harry
Amy McDonald as Dolly
Camden Aglio as Charlie
Theo Williams as Lloyd
Sunny Guest as Alfie
Nikki Eenink as Gertie/Others
Jasper Harvey as Policemen/Others
Ben Seymour, Jarod Newman, Lachlan Cox, and John Wallace as “The Loose Cats”
Synopsis: It’s 1963 in Brighton, and comic gadabout Francis Henshall finds himself working for gangster Roscoe Crabbe – that is, until he’s also employed by upper class twit Stanley Stubbers. Suddenly the servant of two masters, Francis must do everything he can to keep his employers from meeting – but little does he know that his new employers have their own secret schemes. Can Francis juggle an onslaught of mistaken identities, arranged marriages, and unwilling audience participants long enough to achieve his own lofty dreams of a sandwich and a Majorcan holiday?
Adapted from Carlo Goldoni’s 1746 comedy The Servant of Two Masters, Richard Bean’s One Man, Two Guvnors owes much of its comic potency to the early Italian practice of commedia dell’arte – translated as ‘comedy of the professional.’ This classic theatrical form utilises a stock set of recognisable characters (mostly servants, lovers, captains and old men) and heavily favours exaggerated, distorted, and improvisation performances to get laughs. I give this wider context so that when I say that Hunter School of the Performing Arts’ latest production is an utterly ridiculous affair, you can read it for the compliment that it is; boasting a wonderfully game comic ensemble, One Man, Two Guvnors is easily the most that I’ve laughed in a 2017 production.
Nick Thoroughgood is clearly having a grand old time as Francis Henshall, and greatly benefits from the looseness of One Man, Two Guvnors; the actor’s improvisational sensibilities are at full effect here and his impromptu exchanges with the audience mark some of the show’s best jokes. His Francis is a little more Bugs Bunny than well-intentioned village idiot, but Thoroughgood’s charm and keen sense of comic timing steer his performance well and prove an invaluable asset.
Lucy Scott balances comedy with a small amount of pathos as the disguised Rachel Crabbe, and makes for a sympathetically swooning gangster when she’s not playing tough as brother Roscoe. The most welcome surprise was Sebastian Szeszeran’s Stanley Stubbers (phew, say that five times fast!), who comes close to stealing the show out from under Thoroughgood’s Francis in their shared scenes. Szeszeran leans into the ridiculousness of the upper-class twit, and his swarthy confidence and clipped delivery made each of his joke an instant hit with the audience.
The rest of One Man, Two Guvnors’ sizeable ensemble capably match the ridiculousness of its leading parts, and each strike an admirably distinct silhouette from their fellow performer. Callum Barnes and Sunny Guest showcase strong physical comedy as the solemnly silly actor Alan and ancient bellhop Alfie, respectively – Barnes scores laughter from his pout alone. Maisie Owens’ hilariously ditzy Pauline is evenly matched by Amy McDonald’s sharp and sassy Dolly, who is eventually given more room to play as the production progresses. More than anything, the ensemble fully commit to the loose ridiculousness of their parts, and they hard work serves them all well.
Unfortunately, One Man, Two Guvnors’ looseness sometimes proves to be a double-edged sword; though this slack gives its ensemble plenty of chances to mine for more humour, much of the production’s potency comes from the pressure on Francis to balance his two master’s demands. While Thoroughgood is undeniably funny, he is rarely harried in his efforts (particularly in the show’s second half), and this lack of urgency leaves the ensemble feeling just a little too comfortable in their crises. It’s a tiny deficiency, but it does deflate One Man, Two Guvnors a tad.
Director Kathy Leahy clearly knows where the production’s bread is buttered, and pulls double duty in furnishing One Man, Two Guvnors’ set with just enough detail to support without distracting or delaying the shenanigans onstage: the effect is as simple and broad as the archetypes that inhabit it, but it works fine. The inclusion of house band “The Loose Cats” is a welcome addition - the musicians work well together during their brief interludes, and capably reinforce the production’s setting – though I now wonder if I’ll ever get to see another production that boasts a washboard jam session.
Hunter School of the Performing Arts’ One Man, Two Guvnors is a deliciously sharp and cheeky affair, and while it can afford to pick up the pace, most people will be laughing too much to care. The production’s ensemble is admirably dedicated to the absurdity of their parts, and make for a formidably comical crew – they may be the audience’s servants, but they’re masterfully funny.
