06.12.2011- One Man, Two Guvnors

One Man, Two Guvnors, The Adelphi Theatre, 21.11.2011, 7pm

One Man, Two Guvnors, the latest sell-out sensation from The National Theatre, tells the complicated story of protagonist Francis Henshall and his misadventures as he struggles to hold down two jobs at the same time. Using Carlo Goldoni's 18th century comedy The Servant of Two Masters as source material, Richard Bean's script transposes the classic characters of the Commedia dell' arte tradition to vividly realised 1960s Brighton. The plot, which at first glance appears quite complicated, focuses on Francis (James Corden) and his relationship with respective employers. Guvnor number one, Roscoe Crabbe, is a dead ringer for Ringo Starr who hires Francis as his minder. Guvnor number two, Stanley Stubbers (a walking personification of the phrase 'jolly hockysticks' if ever there was one), engages Francis to be his dogsbody whilst on the run from the 'rozzers'. Throw in concurrent sub-plots involving star-crossed lovers, Francis' incessant desire to eat and severe miscommunication over the deadly diseases decimating the population of Dorking and you've got the recipe for an instant theatrical hit.

Richard Bean's text is, without a doubt, the crucial comic element of this production. The dialogue which he has crafted is witty, light and engaging, capturing an idiom which is quintessentially English. The beauty of the writing also lies in a level of subtlety- it's not knowingly funny and the cast never play any of their lines for laughs- which of course makes the dialogue all the more hilarious. Each line is also invested with a strong sense of character- no mean feat considering that the narrative features a collection of diverse characters, all with conflicting motivations and intentions. Whether it be Alan's soliloquy musing on the destiny of the humble bus, or Dolly's (Suzie Toase) lessons on love, the dialogue is always driven by character, and is therefore wholly believable.


The physical comedy too, is as much a source of humour as Bean's expertly crafted text. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the much discussed scene at the end of Act One, which sees Francis literally spinning a succession of food-laden plates to keep both of his employers happy and in ignorance of his duplicity. The undoubted star of this particular scene is Tom Edden, who plays Alfie, an 87 year old waiter. Decrepit and doddering, Alfie's first appearance is more than a little reminiscent of Julie Walters' 'Two Soups' waitress from As Seen on TV, and offers the audience a master class in slapstick comedy.

Amongst the stellar cast, there is not one disappointing performance. James Corden, in the lead role, is utterly charming, slipping easily in and out of character during sporadic moments of interaction with the audience. Whilst Francis might not be too much of a departure from his best know role as Smithy in Gavin and Stacey, he seems completely at ease on the Adelphi stage, dealing expertly with moments of improvisation and delivering a performance which is energetic, endearing and wholeheartedly funny. Credit too must go to Oliver Chris, not least for delivering the blustering dialogue of Stanley Stubbers with such conviction. Jemima Rooper also deals extremely admirably with the challenges of her role (or roles, as it were, without wishing to spoil the ending!) It is credit to her skill and commitment that her performance never strays into the realm of caricature. As an ensemble, the cast has a palpable chemistry, and a clear understanding of the world of the play which is communicated perfectly to the audience throughout.

Clarity of direction and design, combined with a wonderful live skiffle band accompanying the action make this a fully-envisioned, lively and unforgettable production. Beg, steal or take up a second job to get a ticket!

One Man, Two Guvnors runs at The Adelphi Theatre until February 2012.

Have you seen One Man, Two Guvnors? If so, what did you think?

(Image credit: Google Images.)

14.04.2010- Love Never Dies

Love Never Dies, The Adelphi Theatre, 07.04.2010, 2.30pm.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much anticipated continuation of The Phantom of the Opera opened in London last month to a mixed critical reception. Many of the reviews I have read since the first night of Love Never Dies have been sceptical about whether Lloyd Webber’s latest musical can live up to the towering reputation of the original, which, at nearly twenty five years old stands alone as the singularly most successful piece of entertainment of all time. It is fair to say that Love Never Dies, as an extension of the Phantom mythology will inevitably be compared to its theatrical ancestor, but, in my opinion, and based upon what I saw last week, the pieces must be considered as separate entities in order to be fully appreciated.

Love Never Dies is set ten years subsequent to the events of The Phantom of the Opera, and the characters relocated to New York’s Coney Island, a dizzying world of circus sideshow and vaudeville hubbub. Innovative sets, designed by Bob Crowley and beautifully offset by Jon Driscoll’s breathtaking projections create an aesthetic which simultaneously encapsulates the graceful Art-Nouveau tastes of the period and the developing popular fascination with the bizarre. The vast space of the Adelphi, fully equipped for this production with a drum revolve is exploited to its full potential in order to create a realm which the Phantom himself appropriately describes as ‘illusions domain/Where music and beauty and artifice reign’. Personally, I found the ingenuity of the creative choices made in this production to be completely compelling, and, perhaps most pertinently of all, unlike anything I had ever seen attempted on stage before.

The stumbling block with the production for many critics in the reviews I have glanced over seems to have arisen from what they perceive to be an implausible storyline. Summarising the plot as briefly as possible, Christine Daaé, prodigy soprano taught by The Phantom in Paris, is invited (unknowingly) by him to sing at his Coney Island resort, Phantasma. She is now married to Raoul, her childhood sweetheart, has a son, ten year old Gustave, and accepts the offer to perform in order to pay off her husband’s gambling debts, acquired in a haze of alcohol-fuelled foolishness. As Christine is reunited with her teacher, revelations a plenty ensue, bets are hedged and the piece hurtles towards a tragic conclusion. What the critics seem to have forgotten in their consideration of the ‘weak’ book is the fact that, musical theatre, by its very nature is often fantastical and implausible. It is not, after all, realist drama which offers profound insights upon the human psychology or the world in which we live, but rather is a genre which is defined by the convention of the audience having to suspend its disbelief, otherwise it would cease to exist as soon as the first performer spontaneously began to sing. Ultimately, musical theatre has mass appeal because it is the ultimate in theatrical escapism; put in simple terms, the rules of real life don’t apply to the world of musicals, otherwise how could one explain productions based upon magical kingdoms called Oz and troupes of all-singing, all-dancing cats?

Plot and aesthetics aside, Love Never Dies also represents for Lloyd Webber a return to top form as a composer. Of course the songs he has newly created will undoubtedly be judged in comparison to pieces from the original such as Music of the Night and Masquerade, which have since become iconic within the musical theatre oeuvre. Of the Love Never Dies score, ‘Til I Hear You Sing and the title track are the most evocative of the original timbre, but new melodies such as The Beauty Underneath and Dear Old Friend are equally unforgettable. Perhaps the greatest demonstration of Lloyd Webber’s skill as a composer is demonstrated not in individual songs however, but when the score is considered as a whole. The juxtaposition of vaudeville ditties (such as Bathing Beauty and Heaven By The Sea), powerful duets (Devil Take the Hindmost, Once Upon Another Time) and soaring instrumentals (The Ayrie, The Coney Island Waltz) sets the Love Never Dies score apart in that it encapsulates so many sub-genres and operates extremely successfully outside of the operatic framework which defined its predecessor.

In summary, I found Love Never Dies an engaging and innovative piece, both on a technical and performance level. Standout performances from Tam Mutu (understudying a sadly indisposed Ramin Karimloo) as The Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine, Joseph Millson as Raoul and Summer Strallen as Meg in the lead roles are formative in driving the plot forward and each excelled in all of the musical numbers. Niamh Perry, Adam Pearce and Jami Reid-Quarrell are also commendable in the roles of Fleck, Squelch and Gangle respectively, the only major additions to the cast, who evoke the mystery and intrigue of Phantasma in triplicate. My advice is to ignore the critics; if you get the opportunity, go and see Love Never Dies leaving all of your preconceptions behind and draw your own conclusions about the piece. Theatre as a medium is, after all, defined by its ability to engage with the individual, and it is ultimately audiences, and not critics who determine the power of any performance.

Love Never Dies continues at The Adelphi Theatre, for more information visit www.loveneverdies.com.

(Image credit: telegraph.co.uk.)