Cappies Review: Woodson's 'One Man, Two Guvnors' A Show 'Not To Miss'

By Kaya Thomas
Annandale High School

FAIRFAX, VA — W.T. Woodson High School's production of "One Man, Two Guvnors" effortlessly sends its audience into hysterical fits of laughter with witty characters, well-timed projections, audience participation, and even a functioning fire extinguisher. And yes, the fire extinguisher is used on-stage.

"One Man, Two Guvnors" was written by Richard Bean. The story is set in 1963 Brighton and follows Francis, one man who works for — you guessed it — two guvnors! The play is a more modern adaptation of a commedia dell'arte play titled "Servant of Two Masters" by Carlo Goldoni.

Commedia dell'arte is an Italian form of theatre that utilizes character archetypes and particular show structures. Thus, "One Man, Two Guvnors" adheres to these characteristics as well by using clear character archetypes, tons of slapstick humor, and even improvised transitional scenes.

The physical, vocal, and character choices made by the cast give the effect of watching a sitcom — everything is energetic and comical. Diya Selvan particularly was a driving force of the show as Francis, the script's equivalent of the commedia archetype of harlequino. Selvan delivered several monologues and asides that broke the fourth wall and was consistently in character and engaging the audience with charming humor. Diya's facial expressions and vocal quality called attention and added a lot to the character of Francis.

Two other notable characters were the show's innamorati Alan and Pauline, played by Peter Gardner and Maddie Keene. Alan is a dramatic aspiring actor and Pauline is his sweet (yet not so bright) lover who wishes to marry him. These two brought youthful and bright energy to the show with their strong character choices that easily and often entertained the audience.

Several tech aspects of the show were impressive, but costumes, props, and special effects were particularly notable. In regards to costumes, Katy Nguyen color coded characters and dressed them in 60s inspired wear — for example, Maddie Keene's pink dress and white go-go boots as Pauline. Each pair of lovers wore colors that were opposite sides of the color wheel, therefore complementing each other.

The plethora of props designed by Nico Uy added to the most impressive parts of the show, including the real soup, the functioning fire extinguisher, and the edible sheets of paper. Additionally, the well-timed and comedic projection special effects by Lacey Vailikit added a unique element to the show that furthered its cartoony and fastpaced nature.

"One Man, Two Guvnors" is a clever and amusing show where the laughter seems to be never ending. The work the cast and crew put into it was evident, as was the heart and the love. Packed with vibrant one-liners, a huge amount of physical comedy, and memorable characters, it definitely is not a show to miss!