Review: One Man, Two Guvnors (Berkeley Rep)

Today, we saw the play "One Man, Two Guvnors" at the Berkeley Repertory Theater. The play was adapted by Richard Bean and based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni.

While there were many moments of laughter, the humor was crude and juvenile. Donahoe plays Francis Henshall, a dim-witted young man who works for two employers simultaneously. The antics are reminiscent of the Three Stooges variety.

Dolly had one memorable line in the play:

“I know exactly what he’s after. And if he carries on like this, he’s going to get it.”

While I did laugh a lot, and sitting in the front row certainly had its charms, I couldn't say I admired this performance. It was wacky and crude, with too much slapstick.

This NY Times review of the play has an exceptional description of the silliness that goes on. I would write my own review, but the NY Times' version would be hard to beat.

Wikipedia explains the plot as follows:

In 1960s Brighton, an easily confused Francis Henshall becomes separately employed by two men – Roscoe Crabbe, a local gangster and Stanley Stubbers, an upper class criminal. Francis tries to keep the two from meeting, in order to avoid each of them learning that Francis is also working for someone else. However, it turns out that Roscoe is really Rachel Crabbe in disguise, her twin brother Roscoe having been killed by her lover, who is none other than Stanley Stubbers. Mixed in with these chaotic events is Pauline Clench who was originally meant to marry Roscoe but is now set to elope with over-the-top amateur actor Alan Dangle. The play includes two extended passages of improvisation where audience members are recruited into the play.