One Man Two Guvnors

This comedy is based on the Italian play, The Servant of Two Masters, and is set in Brighton in 1963.

We entered the auditorium to music from the 60’s, being played by three piece band Brighton Rock who are an integral part of the production, as well as carrying us from one scene to the next.

There are so many characters in this hilarious comedy that it’s difficult to know where to start. Two gangs, a proposed marriage of convenience, an over the top wannabe actor, a sister impersonating her murdered twin brother. I must confess to getting a bit lost in the plot but I don’t think it really mattered and it certainly didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this hilarious comedy.

Central to the plot is Francis Henshall who has an obsession with food. Fired from his skiffle band he takes a job as minder to small time crook Roscoe Crabbe, who has come to Brighton to do some business with his fiancee’s father. When Stanley Stubbers arrives in town, on the run from the police and waiting to be joined by his fiancée, Henshall seizes the opportunity to take a second job.  But all is not as it might seem and with all three staying at The Cricketer’s Arms, Henshall knows he has his work cut out, simultaneously serving two guvnors and at the same time having to keep them apart.

A terrific performance from Charlie Moody as minder Francis Henshall. This was a challenging role which called for an enormous amount of physical exertion and he really threw himself into it, quite literally in some instances, perfectly capturing the hilarious predicaments required of the character. The asides to the audience were accompanied by just the right amount of pathos and had us all in fits of laughter.

Strong performances also from Paul Gardiner as Stanley Stubbers, displaying some unsavoury characteristics which he puts down to his boarding school education and Emma Letcher as Rachel Crabbe, loosely disguised as her brother for most of the action.  Well done also to Steven Roach on his animated, over the top performance as wannabe actor Alan Dangle.  

I have seen Reece Hannigan in many and varied roles but none quite so hilarious as his portrayal of Alfie, the elderly waiter.  Staggering around in ill-fitting trousers and oversized jacket, he appeared to spend as much time on the floor as on his feet. This was a very good piece of character acting which had me laughing every time he came on stage. Very well done.

Although I have chosen to mention just a few of the cast individually, there was not one weak link in this production and everyone in the company is to be congratulated on their performance.

The set was good and very effective with multi use of the doors and back panels.  Scene changes were slick and without interruption to the pace of the show.

Lighting and sound were both good and costumes were of the era.

Well done Centre Stage. This was a very good production which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you for inviting me.

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