Clackamas Rep Opens 11th Season with ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS Tonight

Clackamas Repertory Theatre concludes its eleventh season tonight, September 11, with the Northwest premiere of Richard Bean's farce "One Man, Two Guvnors," an English adaptation of Carlo Goldoni's "Servant of Two Masters."

Directed by Clackamas Rep's Artistic Director David Smith-English, "One Man, Two Guvnors" features Jayson Shanafelt as Francis Henshall, the "one man" who is trying desperately to serve two bosses, one a gangster, the other an upper class criminal, while trying to keep the two from meeting. The show also features Clackamas Rep Company Members Annie Rimmer, Jayne Stevens, Alex Fox, Travis Nodurft and Doren Elias.

The play was a hit at the National Theatre of London where it premiered in 2011 and ran for three years. It received the Best Play at the Evening Standard Awards. It had a limited run on Broadway in 2012, where it received seven Tony nominations. James Corden, the lead in both productions, received the Tony Award for best actor. Corden is now possibly best known in the US for hosting "The Late Late Show with James Corden" on CBS.

The play is set in Brighton, England in 1963, and like all farces it involves mistaken identity, physical humor, and absurd, improbable situations. "One Man" also encourages improvisation between the actor playing Henshall (Corden) and viewers, including a long passage with an audience member on stage. Additionally, the play has as onstage skiffle band.

Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. through October 4. All performances are in the Osterman Theatre at Clackamas Community College. Tickets may be purchased by calling 503-594-6047 or at clackamasrep.org. The low-price preview is September 10, opening night is September 11.

Photo by Travis Nodurft