West End Frame: Editor's Blog: One Man, Two Guvnors fresher and funnier than ever

New cast members recently joined the West End production of One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket (arguably one of the most comfortable theatres in London).

Owain Arthur re-joined the production, following time away starring in the international tour. He's been joined by Kellie Shirley and Peter Caulfield as Pauline and Alfie who are reprising their roles from the international tour.

Angela Griffin and Dominic Thorburn have also joined the cast as Dolly and Alan, while the production continues to feature Sam Alexander as Stanley Stubbers, David Benson as Gareth, Ian Burfield as Charlie Clench, Amy Cudden as Rachel Crabbe, Derek Elroy as Lloyd Boateng and Hugh Sachs as Harry Dangle.

Last week I went to see the show (for the third time) and must admit that I think the play, which will conclude its West End run next March, is feeling fresher and funnier than ever. The new cast members bring something completely different to the National Theatre's production. Often in long-running shows producers look for carbon copies when it comes to cast changes, but Kellie Shirley plays Pauline completely differently to her predecessor, yet is equally funny.

This was my first time seeing Owain Arthur lead the cast as Francis Henshall, and he is by far the best Francis I have had the pleasure of seeing. He simply gets the role and gets the show. Owain brings a slight campness to the part which works a treat and he performs with the perfect amount of confidence, without ever appearing cocky. He bounces well off his fellow cast members as well as the audience, leading the show with his enormous stage presence and charm.

Angela Griffin is another great addition to the cast. Her portrayal of Dolly is hard to fault, with her Act Two tantrum providing a particular highlight. Credit must go the entire cast and team and One Man, Two Guvnors remains sharp and on point. I never thought that the farce would be a show that would draw me back again and again as you know what's coming. However, it's hilarious listening to the screams and howls from innocent, first-time audience members.

Last year when I interviewed Owain Arthur he told me why he thinks the show is so popular. He said "Because the show is so good. I don’t think people expect to see a farce from the National or even in the West End so audiences who come to see it, not knowing what to expect, get a lot of enjoyment out of it because of the nature of the show itself. It’s a very good adaptation from Richard Bean. People get to come and see the show and let their hair down. I had one person come up to me and say 'This show should be on the NHS' because laughter is such good therapy. This was such a huge compliment." (Click here to read the full interview.)

I couldn't agree more with this audience member. One Man, Two Guvnors provides several hours of escapism and some audience members were laughing so much that it certainly did feel like therapy.

I think the most important ingredient of this show is the cast, who have fantastic chemistry and seem to be having a great time! During my recent interview with Kellie Shirley she explained why she decided to return to the show. She said "I wouldn’t sign up to do another six months if I didn’t enjoy it! Life’s too short to do something that you don’t enjoy. This cast in particular are really great because there’s a good mix. We have some newbies, some people who have been in the show for a while and then a couple of us who are joining from the tour. It brings something new and fresh which is really nice. We are a very happy company which doesn’t happen all the time!" (Click here to read the full interview.)

If you haven't yet seen One Man, Two Guvnors you only have just over four months left to book your tickets! The play had wide appeal and is smoothly put together. Take a look at the show's new production images below (click on an image to enlarge).

Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
andrew@westendframe.com

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