London Hit One Man, Two Guvnors, Starring James Corden, Gets Spring Broadway Transfer

Confirming earlier rumors of a Broadway transfer, the London hit One Man, Two Guvnors will arrive on the Great White Way in the spring of 2012. Richard Bean’s comedy, based on Carlo Goldoni’s The Servant of Two Masters and featuring songs by Grant Olding, will begin previews at the Music Box Theatre on April 6, 2012, and officially open on April 18. Nicholas Hytner will direct.

James Corden, who starred in show at the National Theatre, on the UK tour and in the still-running West End engagement, will lead the National Theatre company on Broadway. Although the rest of the UK cast is not yet confirmed for Broadway, it featured "two guvnors" Oliver Chris and Jemima Rooper as well as 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.

In One Man, Two Guvnors, Corden stars as the always famished and easily confused Francis Henshall. He 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.

Corden made his Broadway debut in The History Boys. Other stage credits include Martin Guerre and A Respectable Wedding. He is well known to British TV audiences for Gavin & Stacey, as well as shows like Hollyoaks, Little Britain, Boyz Limited and The Vicar of Dibley. His film credits include How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, Starter for 10, The History Boys, Planet 51, The Three Musketeers and Gulliver’s Travels.

The creative team for One Man, Two Guvnors includes Mark Thompson (set & costumes), Cal McCrystal (physical comedy director), Mark Henderson (lights) & Paul Arditti (sound). One Man, Two Guvnors will be produced on Broadway by Bob Boyett and the National Theatre of Great Britain.