AUDITIONS
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
By Richard Bean
Based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni
with songs by Grant Olding
A Comedy Directed by Andrea Odle
Brighton, England. 1963. Change is in the air, and Francis Henshall is looking to make his
mark. Fired from a skiffle band and in search of work, he finds himself employed by smalltime
gangster Roscoe Crabbe, in town to collect a fee from his fiancée's gangster father.
But Roscoe is really Rachel, posing as her own dead brother, herself in love with Stanley
Stubbers (her brother’s killer) who, in turn, becomes our hero’s other 'guvnor'. Fighting a
mounting sense of confusion, Francis goes out of his way to serve both bosses. But with
the distractions of a pneumatic book keeper, a self-important actor and select members of
the criminal fraternity (not to mention his own mammoth appetite) to contend with, how
long can he keep them apart?
GENERAL CHARACTER NOTES: It seems like almost none of the characters in this play would win a Good Citizen Award any time soon. Rachel and Francis are both guilty of fraud. Stanley is guilty of homicide—though he claims it was self-defense. Charlie is a gangster and Dangle is his lawyer who keeps depraved characters out of prison. The women are immersed in the petty crime/thug world and almost all the other characters take it all in stride. But the crooked characters always seem more interesting! In dramas, this theme would provide for some powerful character development, but in comedies it often sets the scene for silliness right off the bat.
ENGLISH ACCENTS: The play is performed in English accents. English accents are not just one thing, though. This play should be performed in a Brighton accent, which is more working class than, say, a teacher at Hogwarts and more like a Hagrid at Hogwarts. However, there are some variations—Alan and Harry (or Harriet—more on that later) have a more upper class, “posh” British accent. As far as the audition goes, give it your best shot. The lines are written in dialect so to not attempt it at all would make it sound very weird. However, recognize that there will be recordings and coaching specific to this accent, and I don’t expect you to have it down at the audition.
GENDER BENDING: Often when we’re choosing shows today, we need to consider these ideas because: patriarchy. In years past, most of the playwrights and performers were men (as were most of the elected government officials…oh wait, that’s still true). So this is a long way to say that we need to be a little flexible when it comes to gender in this play. This is a long way of saying that, at the very least, Alfie, Harry and Gareth can be played by women.
BREAKING THE FORTH WALL: There is a lot of audience participation in the play. Frances improvises with the audience several times. He brings people onstage to move a trunk he thinks is too heavy. There are also audience plants. Francis asks for food at one point, and a member of the ensemble posing as an audience member gives him a hummus sandwich. There is also an audience member named Christine Patterson, who is brought onstage and who is at the center of some very ridiculous business. She’s also singed by flames (in theory). So those are actual parts, playing someone awkwardly pulled onstage by a character to take part in some craziness.
Characters
Francis Henshall (30’s-40’s): An out-of-work skiffle musician, Francis now works as a servant for two employers simultaneously (Rachel and Stanley); he loves Dolly and food. Cheeky and Chubby. Puppy, clumsy, with infectious grin.
Rachel Crabbe (20’s-30’s): The first guvnor, Rachel is Stanley’s girlfriend, but is disguised as her twin brother Roscoe, who is engaged to Pauline. Energetic and Confident.
Stanley Stubbers (20’s-30’s): – The second guvnor, Stanley is Rachel’s boyfriend; he is a privately educated upper class twit. Lounge lizard type. Confident.
Harry Dangle (50’s-60’s): Harry is a crooked solicitor (partner in Dangle, Berry, and Bush Solicitors). Alan’s father. Dapper and faintly sleazy.
Alan Dangle (20’s-30’s): Alan is Harry’s son, loves Pauline, and is an amateur actor. Over the top and dramatic everything! Sappy about love and uses large bravado with his anger. Hand gestures galore.
Charlie “The Duck” Clench (50’s-60’s): Charlie is a local ‘retired’ mobster and has arranged the marriage of daughter Pauline to Roscoe Crabbe. Shark like grin.
Pauline Clench (20’s-30’s): Pauline is Charlie’s daughter; she loves Alan even though she is engaged to Roscoe. Dim-witted, “dumbest of blondes.” Eyes wide with wonder.
Lloyd Boateng (40’s-60’s): Lloyd is Charlie’s friend and runs The Cricketers’ Arms pub. Ex-con man. Written for a POC.
Dolly (20’s-30’s): Dolly is Charlie’s bookkeeper. Flirtatious, bossy, and voluptuous.
Gareth (30’s-50’s): Gareth is head waiter at Lloyd’s pub. Efficient and streamlined. Over sees operations with a flick of the wrist and a lifted eyebrow.
Alfie (ancient): Waiter, Alfie is slow and doddering. Hard of hearing and nearly blind. Very physical role. Can age-up an actor.
Extras
Video Auditions may be arranged by contacting the director, Andrea Odle, via email @ aodle73@yahoo.com.
Videos
