Download enrichment guide - Citadel Theatre

ENRICHMENT GUIDE
WRITTEN BY RICHARD BEAN
BASED ON THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS BY CARLO GOLDINI
DIRECTED BY BOB BAKER
FEATURING JOHN ULLYATT, JILL AGOPSOWICZ, JULIEN ARNOLD, MAT BUSBY,
ORVILLE CHARLES CAMERON, JESSE GERVAIS, COLE HUMENY, LOUISE LAMBERT,
ANDREW MACDONALD-SMITH, GLENN NELSON, & LISA NORTON
Play Guides sponsored by
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THEATRE ETIQUETTE
3
CAST, ARTISTIC TEAM AND CHARACTERS
4
SYNOPSIS
5
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
6-7
THEMES
COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE
8-12
CULTURAL REFERENCES
13-16
BRITISH HUMOUR
17
SCRIPT REFERENCES
18-19
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
20
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
21
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
22-23
2
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEATRE ETIQUETTE
Going to the theatre is an engaging and interactive experience. We want you to be an active participant when you see our
shows; laugh when it’s funny, cry when it’s sad, gasp when it’s shocking, and enjoy the experience as much as possible. But we
want you to do this in the most respectful way possible, for both the performers and your fellow audience members.
To ensure the most positive experience, please review the following information prior to arriving at the theatre.
The following items are not allowed in the theatre:
•Food and drink (except that sold during intermission and/or permitted by the Citadel Theatre, such as bottled water and ice
cream)
•Cameras and other recording devices (please note that taking photographs or other recordings in the theatre is strictly prohibited by law)
Basic courtesy:
•Turn OFF and put away all electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods, video game systems, etc. prior to entering the theatre
•Do not place your feet on the seat in front of you.
•The actors onstage can see and hear the audience during the performance – it is important that audience members not talk,
move around, or fidget during the performance, as this can be distracting for the actors, as well as fellow audience members.
•There is no dress code at the Citadel Theatre, but we respectfully request that patrons refrain from wearing hats in the theatre.
•For the safety of those with allergies, please refrain from using perfumes or scented products before coming to the theatre.
Inappropriate behavior:
Citadel Theatre representatives watch carefully during performances for inappropriate behavior, especially behavior that could
endanger an actor or audience member. Inappropriate behavior includes, but is not limited to:
•Talking in the audience
•The use of cell phones (texting, placing calls, browsing, etc.)
•The use of laser pointers or other light or sound-emitting devices
•Interfering with an actor or the performance (tripping, throwing items on or near the stage, etc.)
Audience members identified as engaging in this type of behavior will be removed from the theatre during the performance or
at intermission.
3
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
CAST, ARTISTIC TEAM AND CHARACTERS
CAST
JULIEN ARNOLD
JILL AGOPSOWICZ
MAT BUSBY
ORVILLE CHARLES CAMERON
JESSE GERVAIS
COLE HUMENY
LOUISE LAMBERT
ANDREW MACDONALD-SMITH
GLENN NELSON
LISA NORTON
JOHN ULLYATT
THE BE ARTHURS
Charlie “the Duck” Clench
Pauline Clench
Gareth
Lloyd Boateng
Stanley Stubbers
Alan Dangle
Dolly
Alfie
Harry Dangle
Rachel Crabbe
Francis Henshall
The Craze
(RYAN PARKER, SHELDON ELTER,
BOB RASKO & SCOTT SHPELEY)
ARTISTIC TEAM
BOB BAKER
CHRISTINE BANDELOW
CORY SINCENNES
MICHAEL WALTON
MICHAEL LAIRD
JONATHAN PURVIS
DOUG MERTZ
MICHELLE CHAN
SANG-SANG LEE
JOAN WYATT
Director
Choreographer
Set & Costume Design
Lighting Design
Sound Design
Fight Coach
Dialect Coach
Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Apprentice Stage Manager
Season Sponsor:
Production Sponsors:
Media Sponsors:
4
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
SYNOPSIS
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.
Holed up at The Cricketers’ Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an
extra meal ticket and takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the
police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his
two guvnors apart. Simple.
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 .
Based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni with songs by Grant Olding.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THE PLAYWRIGHT
Richard Bean (born in East Hull, 11 June 1956) is
an English playwright.
Bean was educated at Hull Grammar School, and then
studied Social Psychology at Loughborough University,
graduating with a BSc Hons. He then worked an occupational
psychologist, having previously worked in a bread plant for a
year and a half after leaving school. Between 1989 and 1994,
Bean also worked as a stand-up comedian and went on to be
one of the writers and performers of the sketch show Control
Group Six (BBC Radio) which was nominated for a Writers
Guild Award.
Theatre career
In 1995 he wrote the libretto for Stephen McNeff's opera Paradise of Fools, which premiered at the Unicorn Theatre. His first
full-length play Of Rats and Men, set in a psychology lab, was staged at the Canal Cafe Theatre in 1996 and went on to
the Edinburgh Festival. He adapted it for BBC Radio, starring Anton Lesser, and it was nominated for a Sony Award.
Plays
Made in Dagenham (2014), due to open at the Adelphi Theatre, directed by Rupert Goold
One Man, Two Guvnors (2011) premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner
The Heretic (2011) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Jeremy Herrin
The Big Fellah (2010) premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith, directed by Max Stafford-Clark
House of Games (2010), premiered at the Almeida Theatre, directed by Lindsay Posner
England People Very Nice (2009) premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner
The English Game (2008) premiered at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, directed by Sean Holmes
In the Club (2007) premiered at the Hampstead Theatre, directed by David Grindley
Up On Roof (2006) premiered at the Hull Truck Theatre, directed by Gareth Tudor Price
The Hypochondriac (2005), a new version of Molière's play, premiered at the Almeida Theatre, directed by Lindsay Posner
Harvest (2005) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Wilson Milam
Honeymoon Suite (2004) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Paul Miller
Under the Whaleback (2003) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Richard Wilson
Smack Family Robinson (2003) premiered at the Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, directed by Jeremy Herrin
The God Botherers (2003) premiered at the Bush Theatre, directed by Will Kerley
The Mentalists (2002) premiered at the National Theatre, directed by Sean Holmes
Mr England (2000) premiered at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield, directed by Paul Miller
Toast (1999) premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Richard Wilson
Awards
Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2011: Best New Play One Man, Two Guvnors
Evening Standard Awards 2011: Best New Play The Heretic and One Man, Two Guvnors (both plays joint winners)
TMA Awards 2006: Best New Play nomination for Up On Roof
Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2005: Best New Play: Harvest
Evening Standard Awards 2005: Best New Play nomination for Harvest
Olivier Awards 2005: Best New Play nomination for Harvest
George Devine Award 2002: Best New Play: Under the Whaleback
Pearson Award 2002: Best New Play: Honeymoon Suite.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THE PLAYWRIGHT Cont.
Carlo Goldoni—The Servant of Two Masters
Carlo Goldoni was born in 1707 into a middle-class family in Venice. As a child,
he was fascinated by theatre, playing with puppets and writing his first play at
the age of twelve. His father attempted to distract him from a dishonourable
career in the theatre by sending him away to study at various schools, but each
time Goldoni either ran away or got expelled. During one of these incidents, he
joined a company of touring actors and travelled back to Venice, the
adventures he experienced on this journey solidified his love of theatrical life.
Eventually, in 1731, he graduated from law school and started practicing in
Padua. The lure of the theatre was too strong however, and the following year
he was back in Venice, writing. Goldini’s path to stardom was not smooth; his
first play, a tragedy called Amalasunta [1733], was a flop. He threw the
manuscript in the fire, and wrote a tragicomedy, Belisario [1734], the success
of which launched his career.
Over the next ten years, Goldoni took up a succession of resident dramatist
roles at various large theatres and opera houses, writing opera librettos and
tragic works, before discovering comedy was his ideal form. His first major
comedy, L’uomo di mondo (The Man of the World), premiered in 1738 and he
followed it with a succession of hits, including, in 1746, Il Servitore di Due
Padroni (The Servant of Two Masters). The play was written for a famous harlequin called Antonio Sacchi, (whose stage name,
Truffaldino, is the servant’s name in the play) and was based on an existing plot. In 1748, Goldoni joined Girolamo Medebac’s
company, who were resident at the Sant’Angelo theatre in Venice. Medebac was a famous theatrical manager who had
assembled a cast of eminent actors, and Goldoni wrote a series of plays, experimenting with form and honing his skills. It was
whilst he was installed with this company that Goldoni achieved his now infamous challenge of writing sixteen comedies in two
seasons; a play a week. Goldoni’s relationship with Medebac deteriorated over rows about royalties, and in 1753 he defected
to the Vendramin family at the rival Teatro San Luca, where he stayed until 1762.
These years were dogged by a rivalry with fellow playwright, Carlo Gozzi [1720-1806], which played out publicly in the press
and divided Venetian theatre audiences. Gozzi felt Goldoni was destroying the traditions of Commedia dell’arte and making
the form banal; Goldoni, in turn, believed Gozzi’s work to be too fantastical and therefore artificial. By 1762, Goldoni was
tired of the dispute and accepted an invitation to direct Italian plays at the French court of Louis XV [1710-1774]. After his
contract ended, he stayed at court to teach Italian to the royal family, and was subsequently granted a pension for life.
Unfortunately, the French Revolution [1789-1799], interrupted these payments and Goldoni lived out the rest of his life in
poverty. He died in 1793, having never returned to Venice.
Goldoni lived a colourful life, he was often involved in disputes over money and women, and many of his experiences ended up
in his plays. His memoirs, published in 1787, are full of amusing anecdotes, although many have questioned the accuracy of
some of these adventures, suspecting he preferred a good story over the truth. He wrote 200 plays, including 150 comedies,
redefining Italian theatre.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
Commedia dell'arte
Commedia dell’arte is shortened from “commedia dell’arte all’improviso”, meaning “comedy through the art/craft of
improvisation”, but also translates as “comedy of the guild”; Europe’s first professional theatre. Previously, theatre had
been provided by amateur academics, writing and performing their own plays (known as ‘commedia erudite’; ‘learned
comedy’). Commedia originated in Italy in the mid-16th century with companies consisting of ten or so touring players,
often playing improvised outdoor venues. The more prestigious companies had patrons amongst the nobility and the rest
relied on carnival organizers hiring their services, or audiences tipping them. The actors specialized in playing particular
stock characters and wore masks depicting
these personalities. Unlike British theatre,
where Shakespeare’s heroines were being
played by young male actors, commedia used
actresses; attempts by the church to ban
actresses for their corruptive influences
never succeeded.
There were no written scripts in commedia;
companies improvised their shows along
predetermined plot scenarios, knowing the
rough structure of the narrative. Each actor
knew where their character’s story began
and concluded, and therefore the various
plot-points they needed to hit in order to complete their character’s journey. They memorized speeches, songs, poems and
sections of dialogue so they could recall them on stage as necessary. Commedia also had roots in the art of touring
jongleurs, wandering entertainers, who performed a mix of acrobatics, songs and audience interaction (not dissimilar from
the likes of contemporary street performers in Covent Garden). From jongleurs, commedia inherited lazzi, comic verbal or
physical set pieces, which they studied and honed, incorporating them into the action when applicable.
Goldoni’s earliest writings for the theatre consisted of sections of dialogue for the players to improvise with, but he soon
recognized that in order to become a playwright like the European writers he admired such as Molière (1622-1673), then he
needed total control over the whole play. He began writing full scripts and banned masks which he felt were an unnecessary
barrier between performer and audience, his changes met with resistance from the actors who resented handing control of
their art over to a new party. Commedia as a form was 200 years old however, and becoming stale; Goldoni determined to
explore real Italian life onstage, and the audiences responded. His plays often had a satirical edge, commenting on
contemporary issues and relationships, and he fairly portrayed people from different classes, condemning the immoral
whether they were poor or rich.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS – A BACKGROUND
One Man, Two Guvnors is an adaptation of The Servant of Two Masters. Richard Bean, the playwright, has altered the names
of characters, relocated the geographical setting, and changed various plotting points, but the play is still recognizably based
upon Goldoni’s original. Bean and the director, Nicholas Hytner, set out to find a contemporary equivalent for Goldoni’s play.
This involved two objectives: firstly, to locate an updated equivalent of 1740s Florence, which became 1960s Brighton; and
secondly, to find a British style of theatre comparable to commedia through which to tell the story. The production
incorporates elements of variety, music hall, pantomime, standup comedy, and end-of-the-pier shows; all of which, in varying
degrees, owe something to the genre of commedia.
Not only did relocating the play to 1963 in Brighton allow the show’s creators to explore the popular entertainment which
would have been on offer in a British seaside town, it also fulfilled a dramatic function. The Servant of Two Masters was set in
Florence, with the lovers fleeing from Turin; Richard Bean was able to designate that his lovers fled from London to Brighton.
This allowed him to involve the characters in the criminal underworld of the East End (the Kray twins were at the height of
their fame in the 1960s) and therefore explain why the characters carry weapons (in 1740s, Italy, most men would carry
swords) which is essential to the plot.
Improvisation
Commedia has its origins in improvisation and this has been retained
in One Man, Two Guvnors when the central character, Francis,
interacts with the audience. By getting audience members on to stage
to help him move the trunk, or asking them for suggestions on where
he should take Dolly on their first date, the production is combining
traditional commedia with twentieth century comedy. In the tradition
of standup comedians, the actor playing Francis has several stock
responses written by Richard Bean and himself which cover most
eventualities, but often he improvises in the moment and this allows
the play to feel fresh like commedia would have done.
Music, Song and Dance
Traditional commedia would include song and dance. The innamorati (lovers) would frequently sing duets, they memorized
popular contemporary songs, and some characters would play instruments, such as the guitar. Many performers had honed the
popular form of madrigal, a specific genre of song with close chromatics and difficult harmonies. One Man, Two Guvnors
makes similar use of music by having a band in the auditorium that play as the audience enter before the production and
during the interval. They take the form of a 1960s band, similar to the Beatles, and take to the stage between scenes. At
various points, the actors themselves come on stage during these numbers and play a specialty act such as the car horns, the
xylophone, or ukulele. This deliberately evokes the era of variety and music hall which was popular in the early half of the
twentieth century, particularly in seaside towns such as Brighton where One Man, Two Guvnors is located.
Themes
Richard Bean, after Goldoni, has retained the themes which were popular with commedia audiences in the 18th century. Plot
lines included jealousy, old age, love and adultery, popular themes that still drive most television soap operas. These
themselves originated in ancient Greek theatre and were passed on via the Romans and Renaissance to the present day.
Scattered amongst the plotlines of commedia plays were old gags and punch lines, as well as contemporary jokes and satire.
Richard Bean has incorporated a combination of jokes, some of which are reminiscent of the gags of end-of-the-pier stand-ups
and some which are politically motivated. (As the play is set in the 1960s, he also plays with historicication - jokes built
around the dramatic irony of the audience being more knowledgeable than the characters – for example, Dolly’s prediction in
Act Two that one day there will be a liberal woman prime minister.)
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
LAZZI – COMIC SET PIECES
Derived from the Italian ‘lazzo’, meaning ‘joke’, lazzi is a
comic set piece which has been handed down through
generations of commedia improvisations. Traditionally, the
Harlequin character (Francis in One Man, Two Guvnors) would
have over 100 lazzi at his disposal. All the characters would
recognize the lazzi so as soon as the Harlequin decided to
perform one, they would immediately recognize the role they
had to play in the improvisation. The examples of traditional
lazzi listed here wouldn’t look out of place in a Charlie Chaplin
film, an episode of Fawlty Towers, or a pantomime.
EXAMPLES OF TRADITIONAL LAZZI
Running-around-the-balcony Lazzo
Arlecchino, pursued, or to prove his identity as Arlecchino, leaps from the stage to the first spectator box and runs around
the railing or the three sets of balconies.
Lazzo of Unspilled Wine
Startled, Arlecchino, holding a full glass of wine, executes a complete backward somersault without spilling the wine.
Slapping Lazzo
A Zanni, with either his hands bound or holding plates of food, slaps another character in the face with his foot.
Innocent Bystander Lazzo
Arlecchino and Pedrolino meet each other face-to-face and are armed to the teeth. They heap abuse on each other, relying
on others to hold them back physically. Finally, when the Captain seeks to separate them, they strike out at each other with
the Captain receiving most of the blows.
Source: http://sites.google.com/site/italiancommedia/lazzi
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
CHARACTERS
CHARACTERS
Richard Bean has changed the names of Goldoni’s characters, but he has predominantly retained the function of the character
from the original source material. Commedia dell’arte characters were usually stock characters, often known by the same
name (or at the most, a handful of names), because they always fulfilled the same purpose in the drama and exhibited the
same characteristics.
Goldoni himself had adapted the traditional commedia characters for his own dramatic purposes (for example, Florindo – called
Stanley Stubbers in One Man, Two Guvnors – is actually an amalgamation of two commedia characters: Il Capitano and
Innamorati). Richard has striven to find a 1960s equivalent of Goldoni’s original personalities.
CHARACTER CONVERSIONS
A SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS COMMEDIA
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
Truffaldino / Harlequin or Zanni
Tricky servant
Francis Henshall
A chancer, juggling two masters
Pantalone / Pantaloon
Old, rich man, motivated by money
Charlie Clench
Gangster, tight with money
Brighella
An upbeat, enterprising servant
Lloyd Boateng
Black ex-con, now runs a pub
Florindo / Il Capitano
Braggart, slightly cowardly
Stanley Stubbers
Public school nitwit
Smeraldina / Columbina
Intelligent servant
Dolly
Feminist bookkeeper
Dr Lombardi / Il Dottore (Doctor)
Old academic
Harry Dangle
Latin-speaking solicitor to the Clenches
The remaining three characters are all examples of Commedia Innamorati (lovers) whose main objective is to overcome
obstacles to their love. They had many different character names.
Beatrice / various names
Rachel Crabbe
Dresses as dead twin brother, Roscoe
Silvio / various names
Alan Dangle
A wannabe actor
Clarice / various names
Pauline Clench
Pretty and stupid
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
THE BRITISH INVASION
The British Invasion was a phenomenon that occurred in the mid-1960s when rock and pop music acts from the United
Kingdom, as well as other aspects of British culture, became popular in the United States. Rock music groups The Beatles, The
Dave Clark Five, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, and The Who were at the forefront of the invasion.
Background
The rebellious tone and image of US rock and roll and blues musicians became popular with British youth in the late 1950s.
While early commercial attempts to replicate American rock and roll mostly failed, the traditional jazz–inspired skiffle craze,
with its 'do it yourself' attitude, was the starting point of several British Billboard singles.
Young British groups started to combine various British and American styles, in different parts of the U.K., such as a movement
in Liverpool during 1962 in what became known as Merseybeat, hence the "beat boom". That same year featured the first three
acts with British roots to reach the Hot 100's summit.
Some observers have noted that US teenagers were growing tired of singles-oriented pop acts like Fabian Forte.
The Mods and Rockers, two youth "gangs" in mid 1960s England, also had an impact in British Invasion music. Bands with a Mod
aesthetic became the most popular, but bands able to balance both (e.g., The Beatles) were also successful.
Mods
Mod is a British youth subculture of the early to mid-1960s and was briefly revived
in later decades. Focused on music and fashion, the subculture has its roots in a
small group of London-based stylish young men in the late 1950s who were
termed modernists because they listened to modern jazz. Significant elements of
the mod subculture include fashion (often tailor-made suits); music
(including soul, ska, and R&B); and motor scooters (usually Lambretta or Vespa).
The original mod scene was associated with amphetamine-fuelled all-night dancing
at clubs.
Fashion of Mods
Due to the increasing affluence of post-war Britain, the youths of the early 1960s
were one of the first generations that did not have to contribute their money from after- A photograph of two mid-1960s
school jobs to the family finances. As mod teens and young adults began using their mods on a customized scooter.
disposable income to buy stylish clothes, the first youth-targeted boutique clothing
stores opened in London in the Carnaby Street and Kings Road districts. Newspaper accounts from the mid-1960s focused on the
mod obsession with clothes, often detailing the prices of the expensive suits worn by young mods, and seeking out extreme
cases such as a young mod who claimed that he would "go without food to buy clothes". Two youth subcultures helped pave the
way for mod fashion by breaking new ground; the beatniks, with their Bohemian image of berets and black turtlenecks, and
the Teddy Boys, from which mod fashion inherited its "narcissistic and fastidious (fashion) tendencies" and the
immaculate dandylook. The Teddy Boys paved the way for making male interest in fashion socially acceptable, because prior to
the Teddy Boys, male interest in fashion in Britain was mostly associated with the underground homosexual subculture's
flamboyant dressing style. Male mods adopted a smooth, sophisticated look that included tailor-made suits with narrow lapels
(sometimes made of mohair), thin ties, button-down collar shirts, wool or cashmere jumpers (crewneck or V-neck), Chelsea
or Beatle boots, loafers, Clarks desert boots, bowling shoes, and hairstyles that imitated the look of French Nouvelle Vague film
actors. A few male mods went against gender norms by using eye shadow, eye-pencil or even lipstick. Many female mods
dressed androgynously, with short haircuts, men's trousers or shirts, flat shoes, and little makeup — often just pale foundation,
brown eye shadow, white or pale lipstick and false eyelashes.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
Rockers
Rockers, leather boys or ton-up boys are members of a biker subculture that originated in the United Kingdom during the 1950s. It was mainly centered around British cafe racer motorcycles and rock and roll music. By 1965, the term greaser had
also been introduced to
Great Britain and, since then, the
terms greaser and rocker have become synonymous within the British Isles although
used differently in North America and elsewhere. Rockers were also derisively known
as Coffee Bar Cowboys. The rockers' look and attitude influenced pop groups in the
1960s, such as The Beatles, as well as hard rock and punk rock bands and fans in the
late 1970s. The look of the ton-up boy and rocker was accurately portrayed in the
1964 film The Leather Boys. The rocker subculture has also influenced
the rockabilly revival and the psychobilly subculture.
Fashion of Rockers
Many contemporary rockers still wear engineer boots or full-length motorcycle boots,
but Winklepickers (sharp pointed shoes) are no longer common. Some wear brothel
creepers (originally worn by Teddy Boys), or military combat boots. Rockers have
continued to wear leather motorcycle jackets, often adorned with patches, studs,
spikes and painted artwork; jeans or leather trousers; and white silk scarves. Leather
Rockers on Chelsea Bridge, c. 1960s
caps adorned with metal studs and chains, common among rockers in the 1950s and
1960s, are rarely seen any more. Instead, some contemporary rockers wear a classic woolen flat cap.
Mary Quant
Mary Quant is a fashion designer and British fashion icon. She became an instrumental figure in the 1960s Londonbased Mod and youth fashion movements. She was one of the designers who took credit for the miniskirt and hot pants,
and by promoting these and other fun fashions she encouraged young people to dress to please themselves and to treat
fashion as a game. Ernestine Carter, an authoritative and influential fashion journalist of the 1950s and '60s, wrote: "It is
given to a fortunate few to be born at the right time, in the right place, with the right talents. In recent fashion there are
three: Chanel, Dior, and Mary Quant."
Quant and the Miniskirt
The miniskirt, described as one of the defining fashions of the 1960s, is one
of the garments most widely associated with Quant. Whilst she is often cited as the inventor of the style, this claim has been challenged by others. Marit Allen, a contemporary fashion journalist and editor of the influential "Young Ideas" pages for UK Vogue, firmly stated that John Bates, rather than Quant or André Courrèges, was the original creator of the miniskirt. Others credit Courrèges with the invention of the style. However,
skirts had been getting shorter since the 1950s — a development Mary
Quant considered practical and liberating, allowing women the ability to
run for a bus. Quant later said "It was the girls on the King's Road who invented the mini. I was making easy, youthful, simple clothes, in which you
could move, in which you could run and jump and we would make them the
length the customer wanted. I wore them very short and the customers
would say, 'Shorter, shorter.'" She gave the miniskirt its name, naming it
after her favorite make of car, the Mini.
Jean Shrimpton in a Mary Quant dress.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
The Beatles and Beatlemania
The Beatles were an English rock band that formed in Liverpool, in 1960.
With John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they
became widely regarded as the greatest and most influential act of the
rock era. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later
experimented with several genres, ranging from pop ballads to
psychedelic and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements in
innovative ways. In the early 1960s, their enormous popularity first
emerged as "Beatlemania", but as their songwriting grew in sophistication
they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by
the era's sociocultural revolutions.
From 1960, the Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool
and Hamburg over a three-year period. Manager Brian Epstein moulded
them into a professional act and producer George Martin enhanced their musical potential. They gained popularity in the
United Kingdom after their first hit, "Love Me Do", in late 1962. They acquired the nickname "the Fab Four" as Beatlemania
grew in Britain over the following year, and by early 1964 they had become international stars, leading the "British Invasion" of
the United States pop market. From 1965 onwards, the Beatles produced what many critics consider their finest material,
including the innovative and widely influential albums Rubber Soul (1965),Revolver (1966), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club
Band (1967), The Beatles (commonly known as the White Album, 1968) and Abbey Road(1969)
Beatles Hair—mop-top
The Beatle haircut, also known as the mop-top (or moptop) — because of its
resemblance to a mop — or Arthur amongst fans, is a mid-length hairstyle named
after and popularized by the Beatles. It is a straight cut – collar-length at the back
and over the ears at the sides, with a straight fringe (bangs).
As a schoolboy in the mid '50s, Jürgen Vollmer had left his hair hanging down over
his forehead one day after he had gone swimming, not bothering to style it. John
Lennon is quoted in The Beatles Anthology as follows: "Jürgen had a flatteneddown hairstyle with a fringe in the back, which we rather took to." In late 1961,
Vollmer moved to Paris. McCartney said in a 1979 radio interview: "We saw a guy
in Hamburg whose hair we liked. John and I were hitchhiking to Paris. We asked
him to cut our hair like he cut his." McCartney also wrote in a letter to Vollmer in
1989: "George explained in a 60s interview that it was John and I having our hair
cut in Paris which prompted him to do the same…. We were the first to take the
plunge."
TWIGGY
Lesley Lawson (née Hornby), widely known by the nickname Twiggy, is an English
model, actress and singer. In the mid-1960s she became a prominent British
teenage model of swinging sixties London. Twiggy was initially known for her thin
build (thus her nickname) and her androgynous look consisting of large eyes, long
eyelashes, and short hair. In 1966, she was named "The Face of 1966" by the Daily
Express and voted British Woman of the Year. By 1967, Twiggy had modelled in
France, Japan, and the U.S., and landed on the covers of Vogue and The Tattler.
Her fame had spread worldwide.
Twiggy c. late 1960s
14
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
The Criminal Element—1960s England
The Kray brothers
Boxing twins Ronald 'Ronnie' and
Reginald 'Reggie' Kray led a criminal
gang that ruled the East End of London
by fear in the 50s and 60s. Despite
being involved in armed robberies,
arson, protection rackets, and violent
assaults - that included torture and
murder - through their status as
nightclub owners, the twins mixed with
the likes of Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra
and Diana Dors to become celebrities in
their own right. Beneath all the glamour
of the swinging sixties, there lurked a
cold brutality.
Ronnie Kray shot and killed rival George
Cornell in the Blind Beggar pub in
Whitechapel in March 1966. Then, in
late 1967, the gang lured minor
associate Jack 'the Hat' McVitie to a
Ronnie and Reggie Kray
basement flat in Stoke Newington,
where Reggie tried to shoot him. The gun failed to discharge, so while Ronnie held McVitie in a bear hug, Reggie was
handed a carving knife with which he stabbed McVitie repeatedly in the face, stomach and neck. In 1969 the Kray brothers
were both sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 30 years for the murders of Cornell and McVitie the longest sentences ever passed at the Old Bailey for murder.
Bisexual Ronnie, who was thought to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia, died in Broadmoor Hospital, Crowthorne in 1995.
In August 2000, at 67 years of age, Reggie was released from Norfolk's Wayland Prison on compassionate grounds as he was
suffering from inoperable bladder cancer. He died in his sleep on October 1st 2000.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
SWINGING LONDON
Swinging London is a catch-all term applied to the fashion
and cultural scene that flourished in London in the 1960s.
It was a youth-oriented phenomenon that emphasized the
new and modern. It was a period of optimism and
hedonism, and a cultural revolution. One catalyst was the
recovery of the British economy after post-World War
II austerity which lasted through much of the 1950s.
Journalist Christopher Booker, a founder of the satirical
magazine Private Eye, recalled the "bewitching" character
of the swinging sixties: "There seemed to be no one
standing outside the bubble, and observing just how odd
and shallow and egocentric and even rather horrible it
was."
"Swinging London" was defined by Time magazine in its issue of 15 April 1966 and celebrated in the name of the pirate radio
station, Swinging Radio England, that began shortly afterward. However, "swinging" in the sense of hip or fashionable had
been used since the early 1960s, including by Norman Vaughan in his "swinging/dodgy" patter on Sunday Night at the London
Palladium. In 1965, Diana Vreeland, editor of Vogue magazine, said "London is the most swinging city in the world at the
moment." Later that year, the American singer Roger Miller had a hit record with "England Swings", which presented a
stereotypical picture of England, with lyrics such as "Bobbies on bicycles, two by two."
The phenomenon was featured in films of the time, celebratory and
mocking. These include: the Michelangelo Antonini
film
Blowup (1966), Darling (1965), The Knack …and How to Get It
(1965), Alfie (1966), Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966),
Ge o rgy
G i rl
(1 9 6 6 ) ,
Mo de st y
B l a ise
(1 9 6 6 ) ,
C a s i no
Royale (1967),
Smashing Time (1967), To Sir, with
Love (1967),Bedazzled (1967), Up the Junction (1968), if.... (1968), The
Magic Christian (1969), and Performance (1970).
The comedy films Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) resurrected the
imagery, as did the 2009 film The Boat That Rocked.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
BRITISH HUMOUR is a somewhat general term applied to certain comedic motifs that are often prevalent in humour in the
United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth. A strong theme of sarcasm and self-deprecation, often with deadpan
delivery, runs throughout British humour. Emotion is often buried under humour in a way that seems insensitive to other
cultures. Jokes are told about everything and almost no subject is taboo, though often a lack of subtlety when discussing
controversial issues is considered crass. Many UK comedy TV shows typical of British humour have been internationally
popular, and have been an important channel for the export and representation of British culture to the international
audience. Themes of British Humour include the following: Innuendo, Satire, Absurd, Macabre, Surreal and chaotic, Humour
inherent in everyday life, Adults and children, British class system, Lovable rogue, Embarrassment of social ineptitude, Race
and regional stereotypes, Bullying and harsh sarcasm, Parodies of stereotypes, Tolerance of, and affection for, the
eccentric, and Pranks and practical jokes.
MONTY PYTHON was a British surreal comedy group that created Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy
sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python
phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and
impact, spawning touring stage shows, films, numerous albums, several books and a stage
musical as well as launching the members to individual stardom. The group's influence on
comedy has been compared to The Beatles' influence on music. The television series (1969
to 1974) was conceived, written and performed by members Graham Chapman, John
Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Loosely structured as a
sketch show, but with an innovative stream-of-consciousness approach (aided by Gilliam's
animation), it pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. Their
influence on British comedy has been apparent for years, while in North America it has
coloured the work of cult performers from the early editions of Saturday Night Live
through to more recent absurdist trends in television comedy. "Pythonesque" has entered
the English lexicon as a result.
THE BENNY HILL SHOW features
extravagant musical performances by
costumes and portrays a vast array
entendres are his hallmarks. A group
various short comedy sketches and occasional,
artists of the time. Hill appears in many different
of characters. Slapstick, burlesque and double
of critics accused the show of sexism, but Hill said
that female characters kept their dignity while
the men who chase them were portrayed as
buffoons. The show often uses under cranking
A photo from Monty Python’s
and sight gags to create what he called "live
Spamalot from the Citadel’s 2012animation", and employs techniques like mime
and parody. The show typically closes with a 2013 Season. Directed by Bob Baker.
sped-up chase scene involving him and often a
crew of scantily-clad women (usually with Hill being the one chased, due to silly
predicaments that he himself caused), a takeoff on the stereotypical Keystone
Kops chase scenes.
Cover of the Best of Benny Hill DVD set.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
GLOSSARY OF TERMS FROM THE PLAY
Word
Definition
Some geezer from London.
n. slang A term of derision applied esp.. To men, usually but not necessarily elderly; a
Check him out, Lloydie, see if he’s
got a shooter.
n. colloquial or slang. A shooting instrument, a gun or pistol, especially a revolver.
Says he's Roscoe’s minder.
n. lang. A person employed to protect a criminal; a thief's assistant.
Nothing like that vicious little
toerag of a brother.
n. A tramp or vagrant; a despicable or worthless person.
Dear oh dear, I can’t stand calypso. n. A West Indian ballad or song in African rhythm, usually improvised to comment on a
topic of current interest.
An arranged marriage worthy of a
Moliere farce, contemptible even
in the 17th century.
n. A dramatic work (usually short) which has for its sole object to excite laughter; an
interlude.
Horror bollocks over there?
n. slang, A stupid, contemptible, or blundering man or boy.
The Old Bill are looking for me.
n. British slang. The police force; police officers collectively.
I used to play washboard in a
skiffle band, but they went to see
the Beatles last Tuesday night, and
sacked me Wednesday morning.
n. a style of jazz music popular at rent parties, deriving from blues, ragtime, and folk
music, and played on standard and improvised instruments. Later, a form of popular
music developed form this in the 1950s (esp. in the UK), in which the vocal part if
supported by a rhythmic accompaniment of guitars or banjos and other more or less
conventional instruments; a song written in this style.
So I’m skint, I’m busking, guitar,
mouth organ on a rack, bass drum
tied to me foot, and the definition
of mental illness, cymbals between
my knees.
Skint—Adj. penniless, broke.
Busking—v. slang. The action or practice of performing in a public place for monetary
donations.
This lairy bloke comes over, he says Adj. Earthly, filthy.
“do you do requests.”
He said “Tazmania”, so I nutted
V. British slang, to butt with the head. Also: to strike on the head.
I’m staying in a pub, and I don’t
even have enough shrapnel for a
pint.
n. slang. Small change, notes, or coins of low denomination.
I need, what they call in the army,
a batman.
n. one who carries a bludgeon, a clubman.
What’s a decent drink of a geezer
like you, for a day’s graft?
n. slang. Work, esp. hard work.
Uurgh! Rozzer! Lovely day for it!
n. British slang. A policeman, a detective.
I never understood how irons work.
I bunked off physics.
V. slang phrase: to do a bunk: to make an escape; to depart hurriedly.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
THEMES
Word
Definition
I’ve been nil by mouth for sixteen
hours.
Adj. Nothing, no amount, zero.
Vichyssoise?
n. a soup made with potatoes, leeks, and cream. Usually served chilled.
Next up is your quenelles de
volaille.
n. Quenelle are a culinary specialty of Lyon, France: a light, delicate small oval shaped
dumpling made of seasoned, minced or ground fish or white meet bound with panada
which are gently poached in stock or water. They are usually served with a rich sauce
and can be used as a first course, main course or garnish.
One at a time? You’re a strange
planet.
n. In figurative contexts, indicating detachment from ordinary existence. Esp. in phrases,
as another planet, a different planet, in rhetorical questions (what planet is he on?).
Distant from ordinary life (humorous).
What do you reckon? Is it Pape?
Chateauneaf-de-Pape is a historic town in the southern Rhone Valley in France, famous
for it’s full-bodied, spicy red wines.
You’re a bit of a wanker.
n. An objectionable or contemptible person.
I’ve got a letter here for your
n. A master, a ‘governor’.
With some flowers, and a rockery, n. a heaped arrangement of heaped stones with soil between them, planted with rock
and somewhere for the kids to play. plants, especially alpines.
I have no choice, mate, you’re
V. slang—to ‘give the sack’ to; to dismiss or discharge a person from his employment or
I swear I saw a chap slap you across n. pl. The jaws and intervening space, the cavity of the mouth, faces, parts about the
the chops.
mouth.
I can embrace the potentiality of
love. Which, in this case, is
expressed as a leg-over in Majorca.
n. British slang. An act of sexual intercourse.
You aint’s got the money son. It’s
fifty quid a ticket.
n. originally: a sovereign; a guinea. Later: one pound sterling.
I was tossed on the ocean of love’s
vagaries.
n. A wondering or devious journey or tour; a roaming about or abroad; an excursion,
ramble, stroll.
I’d be a cad to complain.
n. colloquial. A fellow of low vulgar manners and behavior (an offensive and insulting
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
PRODUCTION ELEMENTS
PROSCENIUM STAGE
A proscenium theatre is a specific style of theatre. Several features define a proscenium theatre, and this particular
theatre layout is extremely common; if you have ever been to see a live performance, especially in a high school auditorium, chances are high that you have seen a proscenium theatre. In addition to proscenium style theatres, it is also possible to find black box theatres, theatres with thrust stages, theatres in the round, and numerous other configurations
of stage and audience.
The classically defining feature of a proscenium theatre is the proscenium arch which frames the stage for the audience. In addition, the audience faces the stage directly, with no audience on the sides of the stage, and the stage in a
proscenium theatre is typically raised, allowing the audience to see more clearly. Modern proscenium theatres sometimes lack the proscenium arch, but they are still called “proscenium theatres” because they retain the other characteristics of this style of theatre.
Proscenium theatres originated in the 1600s, and became immensely popular by the 1700s. There are certain advantages
of a proscenium theatre, such as the fact that the stage doesn't have to be as open, allowing people to conceal props,
sets, and orchestras in the wings or near the stage without having these things visible to the audience. A proscenium
theatre also creates a sense of staged grandeur, with the proscenium arch acting almost like a picture frame, giving the
audience the sense that they are looking into a scene.
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
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As this play takes place in Brighton, England during the 1960s, with a variety of
characters of different social status and places of origin, how do the dialects used
by the actors help to differentiate the characters in terms of class, location and
education?
What do you think the challenge in developing a dialect might be?
Are you good at accents? What skills would make someone better at being able to
develop a successful dialect or accent?
What part did music play in the show? Did it add to or subtract from your
experience? How?
Discuss the evolution of character and plot from Commedia dell’arte to more
contemporary British Humour in terms of the show. Give examples.
Are you familiar with Monty Python, Ms. Bean or Benny Hill? How is the humour
presented in One Man, Two Guvnors reflective of it’s roots in British Humour?
Read Goldoni’s The Servant of Two Masters and discuss which elements Richard
Bean used or didn’t use in his adaptation.
Take another play from that period and discuss how you could adapt it for modern
audiences: when would you set the play? Where? How might the characters be
adapted? This could utilize the skills of budding writers, actors, directors and
designers!
Music has a great influence on youth subcultures. What bands or musical genres
have you seen people emulate in their fashion or way of life? How?
Humour comes in many forms, both verbal and physical. What are some of your
favourite comedies? In what way is the humour delivered?
What are the most common types of commedia dell’arte, or stock characters you
see in the media today?
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
Curriculum Connections:
Participation as an audience member at the Citadel Theatre aligns with the Alberta Education Curriculum. We’ve outline below some (but not limited to) objectives which are developed through the viewing of live theatre:
Drama (Elementary)
Third Goal
To foster an appreciation for drama as an art form
Objectives
The child should:
1. develop an awareness of an respect for potential excellence in self and others
2. Develop a capacity to analyze, evaluate and synthesize ideas and experiences
3. Develop an awareness and appreciation of the variety of dramatic forms of expression.
Specific Learner Expectations:
Intellectual—develop and exercise imagination; develop concentration
Emotional—explore emotion; control emotion; express emotion
Social—understand others; discipline self; develop appreciation of the work of self and others; cope with emotional responses
Integrative—learn to respond to stimuli; e.g., music, pictures, objects, literature; test and reflect on the consequences of dramatic decisions
Drama (Junior High)
GOAL I
To acquire knowledge of self and others through participation in and reflection on dramatic experience.
Objectives
The student will:
• strengthen powers of concentration
• extend the ability to think imaginatively and creatively
• extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
• extend the ability to explore meaning through abstract concepts

develop the ability to offer and accept constructive criticism
GOAL III
To develop an appreciation for drama and theatre as a process and art form.
Objectives
The student will:

develop awareness of various conventions of theatre

develop awareness of drama and theatre by viewing as great a variety of theatrical presentations as possible

develop the ability to analyze and assess the process and the art

develop recognition of and respect for excellence in drama and theatre
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ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
Drama 10-20-30
GOAL I
To acquire knowledge of self and others through participation in and reflection on dramatic experience.
Objectives
The Student will:

extend the ability to concentrate

extend understanding of, acceptance of and empathy for others

demonstrate respect for others — their rights, ideas, abilities and differences (S)

demonstrate the ability to offer, accept, and reflect upon, constructive criticism.
GOAL II
To develop competency in communication skills through participation in and exploration of various dramatic disciplines.
Objectives
The Student will:

demonstrate understanding of integration of disciplines to enrich a theatrical presentation.
GOAL III
To develop an appreciation of drama and theatre as a process and art form.
Objectives
The student will:
• explore various conventions and traditions of theatre
• broaden knowledge of theatre by viewing as great a variety of theatrical presentations as possible (
• demonstrate the ability to assess critically the process and the art
• demonstrate recognition of and respect for excellence in drama and theatre
• develop an awareness of aesthetics in visual and performing arts.
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