Theatre man Paul Phear catches up with the cast of this new West End show
Here is what Paul had to say about One Man Two Guvnors:
James Corden’s Tony award (the Broadway equivalent of our Oliviers) has received a lot of ink and airtime. Quite rightly too, it’s a wonderful achievement, and having seen him in One Man Two Guvnors is easy to understand, but I’m pleased to say losing him to New York hasn’t dimmed the comedy in the play at all. The role of Francis Henshall was written with Corden’s skills in mind, but they aren’t exclusive and Owain Arthur is fully up to the challenge of a hugely demanding lead role.
I saw it again last week, and the laughter was just as loud and long. Jokes about posh,stupid, foreign and old people tickle every British funny bone. It’s flavoured with end of the pier variety, Music Hall and Carry On films with a topping of ripe schoolboy humour. In fact it’s so British I wonder if the Americans are really understanding it at all. But funny is funny, and One Man Two Guvnors certainly delivers. The restaurant scene at the end of act one hits a comedy high I’ve not seen for a long time on stage. I could be churlish and say that act two never quite soars, but if you don’t find something to laugh at at the Haymarket theatre then your sense of humour has probably fallen off the end of Brighton Peir.
Two of the show’s stars, Owain Arthur (Henshall) and Jodie Prenger (Dolly) tell me about One Man Two Guvnors and their Royal visitors....
