James Corden’s One Man Moves to West End’s Adelphi
As previously tipped, the National Theatre’s acclaimed production of One Man, Two Guvnors starring James Corden, will transfer to the West End’s Adelphi Theatre for a limited season from 21 November 2011 (previews from 8 November) to 25 February 2012, following its national tour.
Richard Bean‘s adaptation of Carlo Goldoni’s classic 18th-century Italian comedy The Servant of Two Masters, relocated to Brighton in the 1960s, premiered on 25 May 2011 (previews from 17 May) at the NT Lyttelton, where it continues in rep until 19 September before touring to Aylesbury, Plymouth, Salford, Birmingham and Edinburgh and transferring to the West End.
James Corden remains in the role of Francis Henshall, who suddenly finds himself with two new masters – Oliver Chris and Jemima Rooper – on the same day.
The National Theatre cast for the production’s tour and West End transfer include: David Benson, Tom Edden, Martyn Ellis, Trevor Laird, Claire Lams, Fred Ridgeway, Daniel Rigby and Suzie Toase with Owain Arthur, Polly Conway, Derek Elroy, David Hunter, Paul Lancaster, Gareth Mason and Clare Thomson.
Tickets for One Man, Two Guvnors‘ West End run go on sale on Thursday (14 July 2011). Nearly 200,000 tickets will be released with 400 tickets available at £15 or £12 for each performance.
One Man, Two Guvnors marks a triumphant return to the National for James Corden, who originated the role of Timms in Alan Bennett’s The History Boys, also directed by NT artistic director Nicholas Hytner, in 2004. That production transferred to Broadway, toured internationally and was adapted for the big screen. Corden has since gone on to star in BBC comedies Gavin and Stacey, Horne and Corden (which he also co-wrote) and ITV drama Fat Friends as well as films How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, Telstar, Lesbian Vampire Killers and Mike Leigh’s All or Nothing.
For two years, he also found time to co-host our very own Whatsonstage.com Awards with Sheridan Smith, famously sharing an on-stage snog with Daniel Radlcliffe in the 2008 ceremony.
In addition to its national tour, One Man, Two Guvnors is part of the National Theatre Live season, and will be broadcast live to cinemas across the world as part of its current NT Lyttelton run on 15 September 2011.
Richard Bean’s other plays include England People Very Nice for the National as well as The Heretic, Harvest, Honeymoon Suite, Under the Whaleback and Toast for the Royal Court and The Big Fellah for Out of Joint at the Lyric Hammersmith and on tour. He adapted David Mamet’s House of Games and wrote a new version of The Hypochondriac for the Almeida Theatre.
One Man, Two Guvnors has design by Mark Thompson, lighting by Mark Henderson, music by Grant Olding, sound design by Paul Arditti, fight direction by Kate Waters and choreography by Adam Penford. The associate director is Cal McCrystal.
Currently at the Adelphi Theatre, Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, finishes its run on 27 August 2011. The musical, which opened in London in March 2010, is set ten years after the conclusion of the original story, the Phantom having escaped to New York’s Coney Island.
