A BRITISH FARCE OF DOUBLE-DEALING,
DISGUISES, AND CHAOS IN ’60s BRIGHTON

When it hits its stride, CV Rep’s high-energy
staging delivers the kind of old-school physical
comedy that feels like instant stress relief.

What the world needs now is… laughter. Lots of laughter, which is being served up liberally in Coachella Valley Repertory’s tasty take of Richard Bean’s One Man, Two Guvnors. The show is a farce, so it’s all about physical comedy, sharp wit, and the kind of chaotic energy that reminds exactly why we love live theater.

Peter Fanone

When the National Theatre of Great Britain produced One Man, Two Guvnors, playwright Richard Bean’s 2011 update of Carlo Goldoni’s 18th-century comedy, The Servant of Two Masters, the razor-sharp ensemble under Nicholas Hytner’s direction paved the way for a star-making turn by The Late Late Show‘s James Cordon, who played Francis, a daft dolt who finds himself minding after two bosses amongst the swinging ’60s seaside resort of Brighton. The eternally ravenous out-of-work skiffle musician winds up employed by two guvnors who have conflicting goals. The first boss is Rachel Crabbe, impersonating her dead gay brother Roscoe so she can get the £6000 owed to Roscoe by his fiancée’s father, rival gangster Charlie Clench. The second boss is handsome Stanley Stubbers, the posh upper-class criminal who is Rachel’s boyfriend (when she isn’t posturing as Roscoe), and, awkwardly, Roscoe’s murderer as well.

Hannah Sedlacek, Rob Kellogg

This silly, amusing, escapist rib-tickler is a madcap homage to physical comedy that bounces from chortles to groaners with screwball flamboyance (not unlike a Carol Burnett Show sketch). But then there’s the cheap shtick that doesn’t always take off. Director Howard Shangraw definitely finds a balance between the script’s British farce roots and a pacing that feels both fresh and relentless, and much of the show is a pleasant diversion.

Haley Kooyman, Peter Fanone

That said, while the first act barrels along at last Wednesday’s opening, Act II is where the momentum loosens, and the physical business doesn’t always feel fully lived-in yet. With a farce this dependent on clockwork timing, it’s hard not to think a longer rehearsal runway would let the comedy settle deeper into muscle memory and keep the second half as tight as the first. It is a testament to the high caliber of this company and Shangraw’s direction that the show lands as well as it does.

Douglas Scott Sorenson, Peter Fanone

Despite the pacing hiccups, as distractions go, one could fare far worse—and several performances are formidable. At the center of the storm is Peter Fanone as Francis Henshall in an exhausting, committed turn. He has that rare elastic physicality that makes even a small stumble or a double-take feel like an event, and his rapport with the audience is instant—we become accomplices in his increasingly desperate quest for a sandwich.

Haley Kooyman, Jabriel Daniels Shelton, Hannah Sedlacek, Tom Flynn

Rob Kellogg brings a wonderfully pompous, upper-class absurdity to Stanley Stubbers. Claire Blackwelder is sharp and delightful as Rachel Crabbe, playing the “tough broad” with perfect comedic precision. Providing fantastic foils are Nick Apostolina as Alan Dangle, a wannabe actor and Pauline’s fiancé, and Antony Ferguson as Harry Dangle, his father, a crooked solicitor. Hannah Sedlacek is a standout as the perpetually dramatic Pauline Clench, Roscoe’s fiancée who has a thing for Alan. Special nods must go to Joshua Rach as Douglas Scott Sorensen as Gareth and Alfie, the bumbling waiters at “The Cricketers’ Arms.” They both offer physical comedy heaven.

Haley Kooyman, Claire Blackwelder, Tom Flynn,
Jabriel Daniels Shelton, Antony Ferguson, Nick Apostolina

The world of 1960s Brighton is brought to life vividly by the design team. Jimmy Cuomo’s set provides the perfect playground for the actors, while Hannah Chalman’s costumes capture the era’s flair. The technical execution, managed by Moira Wilke, is seamless—no small feat for a show with this many moving parts and high-energy cues.

One Man, Two Guvnors is a high-wire act of comedy. It’s loud, it’s goofy, it’s frivolous, and it’s executed with a level of professionalism that makes it a lovely break from the world. Grab a pint and get ready to chuckle and chortle.

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photos by Lani Garfield

One Man, Two Guvnors
Coachella Valley Repertory
68510 East Palm Canyon Dr in Cathedral City
Wed & Sat at 2 & 7; Thurs & Fri at 7; Sun at 2
2 hours 30 minutes, one intermission
ends on February 1, 2026
for tickets ($85-$95), call 760.296.2966 x115 or visit CV Rep

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