Rialto Chatter: ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS Coming to Broadway?

Nicholas Hytner's One Man, Two Guvnors will soon transfer to the West End for a 16 week run following its sell-out run at The National Theatre, subsequent UK tour and National Theatre Live cinema broadcast. Now according to Vartiety, producer Bob Boyett is eyeing a possible Broadway run in the 2011-2012 season.  Additional details have not yet been announced. Performances at the Adelphi Theatre are set to begin 8 November 2011 and run through 25 February 2012. 

James Corden, whose performance as Francis Henshall has been relished by critics and audiences alike at The National Theatre, will continue in the role for the West End run, joined by his ‘two guvnors' Oliver Chris and Jemima Rooper, along with 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.

Richard 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. The production will tour to Aylesbury, Plymouth, Salford, Birmingham and Edinburgh before opening in the West End. One Man, Two Guvnors is also part of The National Theatre Live season, with a live broadcast to cinemas all over the world on 15 September 2011. One Man, Two Guvnors Associate Director is Cal McCrystal, designs are by Mark Thompson, with lighting by Mark Henderson, music by Grant Olding, sound design by Paul Arditti, fight direction by Kate Waters and choreography by Adam Penford.

In Richard Bean's English version of Goldoni's classic Italian comedy, sex, food and money are high on the agenda. Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6000 from his fiancee's dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who's been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Holed up at the Cricketers' Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and 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. Simple.

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