National Theatre’s One Man, Two Guvnors to Get West End Transfer

The National Theatre’s acclaimed production of One Man, Two Guvnors will transfer to the West End for a 16-week engagement following its sell-out run at the National Theatre and subsequent UK tour. Directed by National Theatre artistic director Nicholas Hytner, the play will begin performances at the Adelphi Theatre on November 8 ahead of a November 21 opening night.

James Corden will reprise his leading role, joined by his ‘two guvnors’ Oliver Chris and Jemima Rooper, and original cast members David Benson, Tom Edden, Martyn Ellis, Trevor Laird, Claire Lams, Fred Ridgeway, Daniel Rigby and Suzie Toase; with Owain Arthur, Polly Conway, Derek Elroy, David Hunter, Paul Lancaster, Gareth Mason and Clare Thomson. Bean’s adaptation, based on by Carlo Goldoni’s The Servant of Two Masters, with songs by Grant Olding, opened at the Lyttelton at the National Theatre in May 2011. The production will tour to Aylesbury, Plymouth, Salford, Birmingham and Edinburgh before opening in the West End.

Sex, food and money are high on the agenda in this English version of a classic Italian comedy. Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall (Corden) becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, but Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Francis takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart.

One Man, Two Guvnors will feature designs by Mark Thompson, lighting by Mark Henderson, music by Grant Olding, sound design by Paul Arditti, fight direction by Kate Waters and choreography by Adam Penford. The West End engagement will run through February 25, 2012.