One Man, Two Guvnors

Multi award winning Director Chris Baldock has been an integral part of both Independent and Community Theatre circles in Melbourne for many years. His own  company, Mockingbird Theatre, was responsible for some of the most exciting theatre in Australia over a number of years and productions, breaking conventions and raising standards in confronting plays that deserved to be seen. Some of my favourite nights of theatre in the past five years have been spent admiring Baldock’s work and incredible casting. So now, as he prepares to leave Melbourne for the nation’s capital, Canberra [don’t ask] it’s only fitting that he gives us one last fabulous night of gob-smacking theatre to remember him by.

One Man, Two Guvnors is Richard Bean’s adaptation of Goldoni’s Commedia dell’arte comedy. Set in Brighton in the early sixties, it tells the story of Francis Henshall, a slightly buffoonish opportunist who finds himself working for two shady characters at once. It’s pure farce, and like most farce, it’s largely dependent on the quality of the cast and the directing.

The West End production made James Corden an international star, but it’s doubtful that Corden’s name would have made any impact if producers had seen the astonishing Benjamin Watts in the role. Watts is not small and chubby and cuddly. He’s tall, well built …quite bear like, and far more knowing than the other Henshalls I have seen, and there are some scenes where he is too big and threatens to swamp the cast. But he is one of the funniest, cleverest performers ever to grace a stage here in Melbourne, with a crazy and wildly unpredictable range of comic timing and gestures. He is totally at ease ad-libbing with the audience, and outrageous once he has his head. He is, quite simply, gob-smackingly good, and anyone who is lucky enough to see this production will be talking about him for many years to come.

Cat Jardine gives her usual polished and professional performance as the busty Dolly, and captures the 1960s ethos beautifully. She is an asset to any production. Diane Algate is a tiny package of dynamite and gives a nicely rounded performance as Rachel Crabbe, mostly disguised as her “identical” dead twin brother. She’s delightful in male drag, and also choreographs the proceedings.

Brilliant comic performances come from James Antonas as Rachel’s Paramour Stanley Stubbers and Liam Gillespie as Alan Dangle – the “ActOr” who wants to marry Pauline (Katey Lewis), who is promised to Rachel…er…her dead brother…if you “know wot I mean?” Both these actors are new to me, but are so impressive I will actively go looking for them in future productions. Katey Lewis taps a new level of dumb daffiness as Pauline. Nick Cheadle brings a wealth of experience and great comic timing to the role of Harry Dangle, and Ken McLeish is highly impressive as Charlie Clench, Pauline’s Dad, who is in a “bit o’ bovver.” As Lloyd, Wem Etuknwa is a commanding presence, and you have to love his Calypso number. And, while Sam Howard is really too young to play Alfie, his physicality lends itself to some of the funniest stage business I have ever seen.

The show is punctuated by a skiffle group, brilliantly led by the multi-talented James Chappell, and the musical numbers joyfully add to the overall pleasure of the production.

But it’s Baldock’s show….right down to his innovative set design. Melbourne theatre will be all the poorer for losing him.

Coral Drouyn

Photographer: David Belton