Stage Review: One Man, Two Guvnors at Derby Theatre

10 Sept 2019

David O'Reilly as Francis : Photography Robert Day


⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a peach of a comedy, a farce done completely right, so no reason to try to rationalise it though it is rather fun to try so here goes (without spoilers):

It’s Brighton, 1963, and there’s a sitting room gathering. The hopeless romantic, Alan and young, Pauline are declaring their love for each other. Charlie and Lloyd are sharing stories of their prison days. The party gets interrupted resulting in the spoiling of engagement plans.

A scene change, and Francis is unperturbed in having to juggle two ‘casual’ jobs and serving his two ‘guvnors’ because his main priority is food. His obsession with food plays a big part in raising the loudest laughs. There follows a series of mix-ups and misconstruing in a dining room scene where Francis is attempting to keep the bosses apart.

Misconceptions happen because of the cover-ups and the lies, and this intensifies the silliness of the main plot. It concludes, as farces do, when characters catch up with what we, the audience, already knew (the dramatic irony).

Many scenes are punctuated by live, musical numbers performed by a 4-piece Skiffle band who are supported, sometimes, by members of the cast ‘doing a turn’.

The physical performances by David O’Reilly in the protagonist role of, Francis, and by T J Holmes as waiter, Alfie are quite incredible. Overall the full cast, and musicians, show talent and great pacing in equal measures.

The set designs are splendid, it is quite an eyeful of light and colour when the curtain first raises on changed scenes.

Typically, a classic farce is not designed to be PC and mocks everything going. Characters are types that are going nowhere, though, chiefly Francis (the underdog) achieves his goal! Personalities portrayed by an excellent cast are unstable, idiotic, unreliable, and, on the face of it, deceitful - but at the same time are well meaning, passionate and loveable individuals. A glorious mix, and playwright, Richard Bean has produced the best kind of fodder which has allowed Sarah Brigham and her talented team the initial vision, and to take this play on with great success already. There was a real party spirit about the place at Derby Theatre on press night.

Review by Theatre Critic, Debra Hall who attended the press night performance of One Man, Two Guvnors at Derby Theatre on Tuesday 10th September 2019 at 7.30pm

Meet the cast:

**ENDS**