WELCOME
​TO THE
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
DRAMATURGICAL RESOURCE GUIDE
A Positively Pitch-Perfect Pondering
of Panto, Prat Falls, and Pithy Performance!
by RICHARD BEAN
with songs by GRANT OLDING
adapted from
The Servant of Two Masters
by Carlo Goldoni
directed by
Shilarna Stokes
and
Ian Pugh
Nov 10-20, 2016
@ the Thurber
One Man, Two Guvnors
Thursday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13 at 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 16 - Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 3 p.m.
Richard Bean’s smash-hit comedy comes to Ohio from London, via Broadway. Perpetually hungry and down-on-his-luck Francis Henshall finds himself working for two criminals at the same time. One is a small-time gangster, the other is an upper-class twit. Both are in hiding in the seaside holiday town of Brighton, and Francis must do all he can to keep them apart. Unbeknownst to Francis, his two “guvnors” are linked together in a hilarious plot involving romance, conspiracy, and a colorful cast of misfits.
HOW TO USE THIS SITE
Welcome to the dramaturgical resource site for the Ohio State University's 2016 production of One Man, Two Guvnors.
There's a lot of info here, and it's easy to get lost if you don't know what you're looking for.
First, hopefully you've already visited and explored the "quick guide" page. If not, please start your visit here.
Second, this resource has been created primarily for actors--while other production members may very well find some useful material here, be prepared for a bias toward info that specifically relates to performance. That said, all production members are encouraged to use the contact form or email me at sefel.1@osu.edu with any dramaturgical questions--I'm eager to help!
Third and finally, the quick guide and this page are the ONLY two pages on this site that are absolutely required reading for all. Every other page features various info, videos, trivia, advice, and other collected hubbub--some of which will be useful to Person A, while other stuff will be useful to Person B. Don't be afraid to follow the links that interest you, skip info that doesn't pertain, etc. Generally, treat this site like an encyclopedia with various entries, rather than a novel that must be read through and in order. You'll find various portals below -- ENJOY!
STUFF TO EXPLORE ...
Goldoni's
The Servant of Two Masters
One Man, Two Guvnors is based on arguably the most famous Commedia script of all time. Read about that original script, and check out what's changed (and what hasn't!)
PRODUCTION HISTORY
A brief guide to OMTG's production history.
GENRE STUDIES:
Commedia,
& More
Comedy is often about performance "style," and One Man, Two Guvnors is no exception! Find out about Commedia dell'Arte and the wonderful freedom of performance that comes along once you drop realism off at the bus stop.
VOCAB &
REFERENCES:
"What does this line mean?"
An undoubtedly incomplete guide to some words, allusions, and references which may be unfamiliar to some actors.
HISTORICAL
TIDBITS:
Britain
April, 1963
One Man, Two Guvnors takes place in Britain in April, 1963. This isn't an accident! Click here for a beginners guide to jumpstart your research of the era!
Skiffle & You:
The Music, the Mood, and the Attitude!
Much of the spirit of One Man, Two Guvnors comes from its Skiffle musical backdrop. Learn more about this sub-genre, and listen to the beats like the cool hepcat that you are.