One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean Based on the Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni, with Songs by Grant Olding Background Pack
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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 Background pack The National Theatre's production 2 Carlo Goldoni 3 Commedia dell'arte 4 One Man, Two Guvnors – a background 5 Lazzi – comic set pieces 7 Characters 9 Rehearsal overview 10 In production: from the Lyttelton to the Adelphi 13 In production: Theatre Royal Haymarket 14 Richard Bean interview 15 Grant Olding Interview 17 Further production detailsls: This background pack is Director Learning Workpack writer onemantwoguvnors.com published by and copyright Nicholas Hytner National Theatre Adam Penford The Royal National Theatre South Bank with contributions from Board London SE1 9PX Lisa Blair and Katie Lewis Reg. No. 1247285 T 020 7452 3388 Registered Charity No. F 020 7452 3380 Editor 224223 E learning Ben Clare Views expressed in this @nationaltheatre.org.uk workpack are not necessarily Rehearsal and production those of the National Theatre photographs Johan Persson Poster photographs Hugo Glendinning National Theatre Learning Background Pack 1 The National Theatre’s production The production of One Man, Two Guvnors opened in the National’s Lyttelton Theatre on 24 May 2011, transferring to the Adelphi from 8 November 2011; and to the Theatre Royal Haymarket with a new cast from 2 March 2012. The production toured the UK in autumn 2011, the UK and internationally in autumn 2012 and tours the UK and Ireland in spring 2014. The original cast opened a Broadway production in May 2012. Original Cast (National Theatre and Adelphi) Current Cast (UK tour) Dolly SUZIE TOASE Dolly EMMA barton Lloyd Boateng TREVOR LAIRD Lloyd Boateng DEREK ELROY Charlie ‘the Duck’ Clench FRED RidgewaY Charlie ‘the Duck’ Clench SHAUN WILLIAMSON* Pauline Clench CLAIRE LAMS Pauline Clench JASMYN BANKS Harry Dangle MartYN ELLIS Harry Dangle DAVID VERREY Alan Dangle DANIEL RIGBY Alan Dangle edward HANCOCK Francis Henshall JAMES CORDEN Francis Henshall GAVIN SPOKES Rachel Crabbe JEMIMA ROOPER Rachel Crabbe ALICIA DAVIES Stanley Stubbers OLIVER CHRIS Stanley Stubbers patrick warner Gareth DAVID BENSON Gareth ELLIOT HARPER Alfie TOM EDDEN Alfie MICHAEL DYLAN Ensemble POLLY ConwaY Ensemble LACE AKPOJARO JOLYON DIXON OWEN GUERIN DEREK ELROY MARK HAYDEN PAUL LANCASTER Katharine MORAZ FERGUS MARCH Catherine MORRIS GARETH MASON JOSEPH O'MALLEY CLARE THOMSON * Charlie 'the Duck' Clench is played by Norman Pace, 6 October 2014 – 31 January 2015 Tour Director and Choreographer ADAM PENFORD Director NICHOLAS HYTNER Physical Comedy Director CAL McCRYstal Designer MARK THOMPSON Lighting Designer MARK HENDERSON Music & Songs GRANT OLDING Sound Designer PAUL ARDITTI Associate Director/Choreographer ADAM PENFORD Fight Director Kate Waters Associate Designer Jonathan ALLEN Associate Lighting Designer BEN DODDS Associate Sound Designer ROB BETTLE Resident Director Katie LEWIS Company Voice Coach RICHARD RYDER Literal Translator FRANCESCA MANFRIN Casting GEMMA HANCOCK CDG and SAM STEVENSON CDG The Craze PHILIP MURRAY WARSON (Music Director, Lead Singer, Guitar) OLIVER SEYMOUR-MARSH (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals) RICHIE Hart (Bass, Backing Vocals) BILLY STOOKES (Drums, Backing Vocals) National Theatre Learning Background Pack 2 Carlo Goldoni Carlo Goldoni was born in 1707 into a eminent actors, and Goldoni wrote a middle-class family in Venice. As a child, series of plays, experimenting with form he was fascinated by theatre, playing and honing his skills. It was whilst he was with puppets and writing his first play at installed with this company that Goldoni the age of twelve. His father attempted achieved his now infamous challenge of to distract him from a dishonourable writing sixteen comedies in two seasons; career in the theatre by sending him a play a week. Goldoni’s relationship with away to study at various schools, but Medebac deteriorated over rows about each time Goldoni either ran away or got royalties, and in 1753 he defected to the expelled. During one of these incidents, Vendramin family at the rival Teatro San he joined a company of touring actors and Luca, where he stayed until 1762. travelled back to Venice, the adventures he experienced on this journey solidified These years were dogged by a rivalry with his love of theatrical life. Eventually, in fellow playwright, Carlo Gozzi [1720-1806], 1731, he graduated from law school and which played out publicly in the press started practising in Padua. The lure of and divided Venetian theatre audiences. the theatre was too strong however, and Gozzi felt Goldoni was destroying the the following year he was back in Venice, traditions of Commedia dell’arte and writing. Goldini’s path to stardom was not making the form banal; Goldoni, in turn, smooth; his first play, a tragedy called believed Gozzi’s work to be too fantastical Amalasunta [1733], was a flop. He threw and therefore artificial. By 1762, Goldoni the manuscript in the fire, and wrote a was tired of the dispute and accepted tragicomedy, Belisario [1734], the success an invitation to direct Italian plays at the of which launched his career. French court of Louis XV [1710-1774]. After his contract ended, he stayed Over the next ten years, Goldoni took at court to teach Italian to the royal up a succession of resident dramatist family, and was subsequently granted a roles at various large theatres and opera pension for life. Unfortunately, the French houses, writing opera librettos and tragic Revolution [1789-1799], interrupted these works, before discovering comedy was payments and Goldoni lived out the rest of his ideal form. His first major comedy, his life in poverty. He died in 1793, having L’uomo di mondo (The Man of the World), never returned to Venice. premiered in 1738 and he followed it with a succession of hits, including, in 1746, Il Goldoni lived a colourful life, he was often Servitore di Due Padroni (The Servant of involved in disputes over money and Two Masters). The play was written for a women, and many of his experiences famous harlequin called Antonio Sacchi, ended up in his plays. His memoirs, (whose stage name, Truffaldino, is the published in 1787, are full of amusing servant’s name in the play) and was based anecdotes, although many have on an existing plot. In 1748, Goldoni joined questioned the accuracy of some of these Girolamo Medebac’s company, who were adventures, suspecting he preferred a resident at the Sant’Angelo theatre in good story over the truth. He wrote 200 Venice. Medebac was a famous theatrical plays, including 150 comedies, redefining manager who had assembled a cast of Italian theatre. National Theatre Learning Background Pack 3 Commedia dell'arte Commedia dell’arte is shortened from Garden). From jongleurs, commedia ‘commedia dell’arte all’improviso’, inherited lazzi, comic verbal or physical meaning ‘comedy through the art/craft set pieces, which they studied and honed, of improvisation’, but also translates incorporating them into the action when as ‘comedy of the guild’; Europe’s first applicable. professional theatre. Previously, theatre had been provided by amateur academics, Goldoni’s earliest writings for the theatre writing and performing their own plays consisted of sections of dialogue for the (known as ‘commedia erudite’; ‘learned players to improvise with, but he soon comedy’). Commedia originated in Italy recognised that in order to become a in the mid-16th century with companies playwright like the European writers he consisting of ten or so touring players, admired such as Molière [1622-1673], often playing improvised outdoor venues. then he needed total control over the The more prestigious companies had whole play. He began writing full scripts patrons amongst the nobility and the rest and banned masks which he felt were an relied on carnival organisers hiring their unnecessary barrier between performer services, or audiences tipping them. The and audience, his changes met with actors specialised in playing particular resistance from the actors who resented stock characters and wore masks handing control of their art over to a new depicting these personalities. Unlike party. Commedia as a form was 200 years British theatre, where Shakespeare’s old however, and becoming stale; Goldoni heroines were being played by young determined to explore real Italian life on male actors, commedia used actresses; stage, and the audiences respondes. attempts by the church to ban actresses His plays often had a satirical edge, for their corruptive influences never commenting on contemporary issues succeeded. and relationships, and he fairly portrayed people from different classes, condemning There were no written scripts in the immoral whether they were poor or commedia; companies improvised rich. their shows along predetermined plot scenarios, knowing the rough structure of the narrative. Each actor knew where their character’s story began and concluded, and therefore the various plot-points they needed to hit in order to complete their character’s journey. They memorised speeches, songs, poems and sections of dialogue so they could recall them on stage as necessary. Commedia also had roots in the art of touring jongleurs, wandering entertainers, who performed a mix of acrobatics, songs and audience interaction (not dissimilar from the likes of contemporary street performers in Covent National Theatre Learning Background Pack 4 One Man, Two Guvnors – a background One Man, Two Guvnors is an adaptation at the height of their fame in the 1960s) of The Servant of Two Masters. Richard and therefore explain why the characters Bean, the playwright, has altered the carry weapons (in 1740s, Italy, most men names of characters, relocated the would carry swords) which is essential to geographical setting, and changed the plot. various plotting points, but the play is still recognisably based upon Goldoni’s Improvisation original. Bean and the director, Nicholas Commedia has its origins in improvisation Hytner, set out to find a contemporary and this has been retained in One Man, equivalent for Goldoni’s play.