Phil Cornwell and Rhona Croker join West End cast of One Man, Two Guvnors

Posted on 27 July 2012

From 3 September 2012 Phil Cornwell and Rhona Croker will join the West End cast of the National Theatre’s five star award-winning One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.  Currently booking to 12 January 2013, Cornwell will play Charlie and Croker, Pauline.

They join Owain Arthur who plays lovable chancer Francis Henshall, Jodie Prenger who plays Dolly, Martin Barrass as Alfie, David Benson as Gareth, Nigel Betts as Harry, Derek Elroy as Lloyd, Daniel Ings as Alan, Ben Mansfield as Stanley Stubbers and Gemma Whelan as Rachel Crabbe.  Gavin Spokes will join ensemble members Robin Berry, Gillian Budd, Andrew Dennis, Laura Matthews and Richard Shanks.

Nicholas Hytner’s production of Richard Bean’s award-wining adaptation, based on Carlo Goldoni’sThe Servant of Two Masters, has songs by Grant Olding. One Man, Two Guvnors physical comedy director is Cal McCrystal, designs are by Mark Thompson, with lighting by Mark Henderson, sound design by Paul Arditti, fight direction by Kate Waters and choreography by Adam Penford.
 
Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe… but Roscoe is really Rachel, posing as her own dead brother… who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and take a job with one Stanley Stubbers. To prevent discovery Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple.
 
Actor, comedian and writer Phil Cornwell is best known for the BBC’s award-winning Stella Street, which he co-wrote and starred in with John Sessions.  His other extensive television credits include regular appearances in Dead Ringers, I am Alan Partridge and The Comic Strip Presents as well as Doctor Who, Dunkirk and The Glam Metal Detectives, which he also co-wrote.  He was last on stage earlier this year in the world premiere of David Eldridge’s In Basildon at the Royal Court where he has previously been seen in The Village Bike.  Cornwell was also in the original cast of David Grindley’s production of Journey’s End at the Comedy Theatre.  A regular on the radio, Cornwell co-wrote and starred in BBC Radio 4’s The Cornwell Estate which ran from 2008-2010 and on film he was last seen in Made in Dagenham.
 
Rhona Croker came to prominence in 2008 when she and her comedy partner Stephanie Jory toured the British comedy circuits with their show Croker & Jory: The Love Shepherds.  Croker was last on stage in The Roman Bath at the Arcola Theatre.  Her other theatre credits include The Hub at Edinburgh’s Pleasance Theatre, Spyski at the Lyric Hammersmith, Pot Noodle: The Musical at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, Playback at the Salisbury Playhouse as well as Cinderella and Twelfth Night both for the Cheltenham Everyman Theatre.  Her many television credits include The Wrong Door, Watson and Oliver, My Family and Micro Men all for the BBC, and on film her credits include the recently released Prometheus.
 
One Man, Two Guvnors opened at the National Theatre in May 2011.  In November last year, after a UK tour, the show opened in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre where it completed a sell out run.  A Broadway production of One Man, Two Guvnors continues at the Music Box Theatre and a second UK Tour begins in October this year.  Later in 2013 One Man, Two Guvnors will embark on an international tour.

 

Book tickets for One Man, Two Guvnors here