Theatre / Reviews
Review: One Man, Two Guvnors, Hippodrome
One Man, Two Guvnors is the first National Theatre production to play at the Bristol Hippodrome for more than a decade.
And it’s about that long since I have had so many tears of laughter roll down my cheeks in a theatre.
The funniest moments on opening night came not just from the script but from the ad-libbing of Gavin Spokes as Francis Henshall, particularly with a few lucky (or unlucky) audience members.
The original Italian source material for this play was written by Carlo Goldoni in 1746, with Richard Bean transporting the action to Brighton in 1963.
First performed only three years’ ago at the National, One Man, Two Guvnors transferred to the West End and then to Broadway.
A comedy of errors sees Henshall caught between two masters, with centuries-old dramatic devices such as a woman dressed as a man and competing lovers sustaining a terrific pace which only slightly lagged in the second half.
James Corden made the original role of Henshall his own, and his mannerisms could be detected in Spokes’ performance which was nevertheless a masterclass in physical comedy.
Attempting to lift up a suitcase just shouldn’t have been so hilarious, and I will also never look at a hummus sandwich in quite the same way again.
Rarely off stage, Spokes was ably supported by a supporting cast that included Shaun Williamson, banishing Barry from EastEnders from the memory with understated humour, guvnor Alicia Davies mixing butch masculinity with love-torn femininity, and a scene-stealing role from Edward Hancock as a verbose wannabe actor lost among people who have yet to recognise or appreciate his talent.
Special mention must also go to the band The Craze, who played 60s-style skiffle music complete with washboard on stage before curtain up and during the interval, as well as over the course of the show itself.
If you can, go to see One Man, Two Guvnors which is only at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday. This show is so funny that the BRI may see an increased case of jaw ache this week due to audiences laughing so much.
One Man, Two Guvnors is at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday, June 14. For tickets and more information, visit www.atgtickets.com/shows/one-man-two-guvnors/bristol-hippodrome/.
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