Two’s a Crowd (tour)

With swing music immortalised by Robbie Williams and opera currently
accessible thanks to major tours of Sweeney Todd and Carmen, Two’s a Crowd has opened at just the right time.

It is one hour before curtain up. A Jazz Singer (John Pohlhammer) arrives with his pianist for a sound check, immediately followed by an Opera Diva (Rosalind Plowright) who enters and does the same thing. The artist and the artiste have been double-booked, prompting an entertaining on-stage battle, rooted in song and riddled with humour to keep you smiling while you’re humming.

Star and co-creator Pohlhammer also turns his hand here to directing, lending this unique musical comedy liberal amounts of style and urgency that more than make up for a slim plot. As a device to unite two contrasting musical genres, the narrative serves its most straightforward purpose but is otherwise daft and lightweight – at least on paper. It’s to the immense credit of the two performers that the overall effect is stunning rather than stilted.

Rosalind Plowright overacts a treat as the Opera Diva partial to lemon tea and histrionics. The emotional range in her voice leaves you breathless and tearful. She also interacts with great ease, good humour and intimacy with the audience – a most welcome surprise for anyone who has only previously viewed Plowright through opera glasses up in the gods.

Pohlhammer fashions his character as the personification of the swing music he croons – likeable, laid back and highly accessible. His one-liner comebacks during spats with ‘the diva’ are priceless, while his ability to ad lib makes his banter even more personal to the audience on the night. Not that he seeks to upstage in any way, given his familiarity with the piece, as its author – he doesn’t need to hog the material, instead allowing Plowright her equal share of the limelight which culminates in a fantastic duet where the two voices meet and blend with perfection.

Musically, the likes of Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and Mozart’s
“Don Giovanni Serenade” are juxtaposed with new material by Graeme Davies. And, thanks again to the strength of the performers and solid direction, the effect is mesmerising .

On the night I attended, the small but appreciative audience loved this great musical comedy – it deserves to fill theatres for its sheer energy alone but it’s got everything else going for it, too.

– Glenn Meads (reviewed at The Lowry in Salford)