The National Theatre of London returns to Sedona on Sunday, Sept. 29 when the Sedona International Film Festival hosts the big screen encore of the acclaimed British stage production “One Man, Two Guvnors” — starring Tony Award-winner James Corden. There will be one show at 3 p.m. at the festival’s Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
Captured live from London’s West End, the original broadcast returns to cinemas in this special encore to mark the National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday.
Featuring a Tony Award-winning performance from host of the The Late Late Show, James Corden, the uproarious “One Man, Two Guvnors” was a runaway hit both in London’s West End and on Broadway. The play was nominated for 7 Tony Awards, including a win for Best Actor for James Corden. The comedy by Richard Bean is based on Carlo Goldoni's “The Servant of Two Masters”.
Corden stars as "Francis Henshall" ("one man"). Always-famished and easily-confused, Henshall agrees to work for a local gangster as well as a criminal in hiding ("two guvnors"), both of whom are linked in a tangled web of schemes and romantic associations — none of which Francis can keep straight. So he has to do everything in his power to keep his two guvnors from meeting.
Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6,000 from his fiancée’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.
“One Man, Two Guvnors” is, at its heart, a physical comedy. Falling trousers, flying fish heads, star-crossed lovers, cross-dressing mobsters and a fabulous on-stage band are just some of what awaits at the most deliriously funny new play in decades.
Critics have raved about the play, calling it “the feel-good hit of the summer. An evening of riotous delight … I found myself physically incapable with laughter.” (Daily Telegraph)
“A triumph of visual and verbal comedy. One of the funniest productions in the National’s history.” — Guardian
“Slapstick, satire and gags galore: a classic comedy hilariously updated.” — The Times
“Sheer, joyous pandemonium. The moments of slapstick are so perfect, they're choreographically beautiful as well as funny.” — Sunday Times
“The single funniest production I've ever seen.” — Mark Lawson, BBC Radio 4