Skip to main content

One Man Two Guvnors @ The Spring, Havant

Brighton. 1963. An engagement party, a mobster back from the dead, a lover on the run from the law, a girl in man’s clothes, a geriatric waiter and trapped in the middle of it all Francis Henshall a washboard player with two bosses and a desperate need for some chips!
Richard Bean’s adaptation of the classic Goldoni farce took the world by storm and launched James Corden’s career, the mix of whip-smart writing and high speed slapstick proving irresistible!
For obvious reasons then, taking on this play is a huge task for any company and Humdrum manage it with aplomb, director Sam Sampson keeping the action going at high speed, making use of period music rather than the live skiffle band of the original production and even popping up onstage as the aforementioned waiter due to the indisposition of one of his actors.
In the central role Darren Gilmore gives a tour-de-force performance, regularly diving into the audience to beg help or berate, his desperation as his mounting lies continually crumble only to be replaced with ones even more far-fetched is pithed perfectly!
Elsewhere in a cast who are pretty much faultlessly cast Kerri Jeffrey is sweet and intimidating in equal measure as the lover on the run impersonating her dead brother and employing Francis as her minder, while Mikey Palmer is gloriously funny as the other guvnor dishing out violence on his new batman while reminiscing of his days at boarding school. Peter Colley and Kerrie Davey both display a keen knack for conversing direct with the audience and making the most of their moments stepping out of the action and, well the cast are all ace but if I don’t rein myself in this could become a very long review…
If you need a laugh (and these days who doesn’t?) this is just what the doctor ordered so get yourself along to The Spring!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Certain games you look to, maybe against like the likes of Cardiff or Sheffield or Nottingham" - Josh Roach looks to the season ahead for the Belfast Giants

With player announcements in full flow, CHL fixtures next month and the Elite League season hot on its heels what better time to get back to chatting with players on what they are up to and their thoughts on the season ahead. Fresh off announcing his return to the  Belfast Giants we caught up with Josh Roach . “We're starting to get close to that pre-pre-season time, so I’m enjoying a little bit more relaxing before we get back into it… it won't be long.” Roach tells us, before sharing how he has spent his summer. “I was home for a quick visit right at the end of the season and then we went on a little holiday, but other than that I've just been on the island. It's kind of nice to have some downtime in Belfast and explore around here a bit more.” “You don't really get the opportunity many times to stay for summer in the place you play, so you get comfortable. This is year five for me, so it is really is like a second home and honestly, it feels more weird t...

"I'm just focused on getting that third trophy and enjoying the rest of my time with the guys here." David Goodwin on preparing for Playoff Finals Weekend

photo courtesy of William Cherry, Press Eye It’s EIHL playoff final weekend! After eight months of toil, four teams will face off for the chance to lift the last silverware of the season. First up Belfast Giants take on Cardiff Devils so I caught up with David Goodwin to see how the team are feeling after a battle against Dundee Stars and how ready they are for the games ahead. It was, I suggest, an intense weekend for the team. “Yeah, I mean it was. It always is. The quarterfinals… you never know what you're going to get.” Goodwin replies. “On one hand, you have us, the Giants, who are coming off a league title win, so we're on a high. But then you got Dundee, who don't want to go away quietly. They were fighting and scratching and clawing for every inch and it lead to two feisty games. “I give Dundee a lot of credit. They threw everything they had at us. But ultimately, I think our consistent play, maybe some of our higher skill was able to shine through and get the...

Building for the new season in Belfast

With Adam Keefe's testimonial and their HospICE Hockey fundraising game in the rear-view mirror, it's time for Belfast Giants to set their sights on the season ahead and their first announcement, late last week, was a belter as they confirmed Keefe would return for another season as head coach. In addition to Keefe's return the first player signing of the new season has been announced, with the return of fan-favourite forward Scott Conway. The team's top scorer last season, is beloved by Giants fans and the sort of character this league needs more of. His ability to wind up the opposition means opposing fans love to hate him and he does a brilliant job of finding motivation for his teammates and weak spots in the opposing team's armour. Conway may have been the first returnee to be announced, but the news is coming thick and fast now, with Scott's linemates David Goodwin and JJ Piccinich back for more and Ben Lake committing to his sixth season at the SSE Arena....