One Man, Two Guvnors was a hit

LISE LINDENBERG

Announcement

QUINTE ARTS COUNCIL

The Belleville Theatre Guild’s April production of One Man, Two Guvnors delivered an energetic, laugh-out-loud evening of theatre. Set in Brighton, England, during the early Beatles era, the production demanded an ambitious combination of scenic design, period costumes, bouffant hairstyles and precisely choreographed comic timing.

One of the biggest challenges was creating a single set that could convincingly transform into six different locations—three outdoor settings and three interiors. A dedicated team of painters recreated everything from the Brighton Pier and a bustling street scene to the interior of a pub and a comfortable Brighton living room, allowing the action to move seamlessly from one location to the next.

Richard Bean’s play is based on Carlo Goldoni’s classic Italian comedy A Servant of Two Masters and draws heavily on the traditions of Commedia dell’arte, with its familiar stock characters—the harlequin, the ingénue, the wise servant, the comic rogue and the villain. Like its predecessor, One Man, Two Guvnors embraces mistaken identities, physical comedy and frequent breaks of the “fourth wall,” inviting audiences to become part of the joke.

At the centre of the chaos was Michael Henderson as Francis Henshall, the perpetually overwhelmed servant attempting to work for two employers at once. The role demanded impeccable comic timing and a willingness to improvise.

“He did a great job coming up with funny new lines based on input from the audience,” says director Dave Henderson. “Michael was on stage for most of the play, either creating a mess or cleaning it up!”

The production’s attention to detail extended beyond the set. During rehearsals, two dialect coaches helped the cast master a variety of accents, including Cockney, North Country, working class, upper-class English and French.

The cast combined seasoned Belleville Theatre Guild performers—including Wendy Roy, Jeremy Alarie and Jeremy Henson—with several newer faces. Noah Halloran, making his stage debut, has since gone on to tackle Shakespeare in a summer production.

“Arranging a lot of actors on stage, planning carefully timed entrances and exits, making intricate set changes, and the insertion of comic elements was easier due to the level of experience on stage,” says Henderson.

For the director, however, staging a farce is all about precision.

“Directing a farce is a lot of fun, but also a lot of hard work and concentration. The timing is crucial—when one door closes, another one immediately opens on the far side of the stage.

Carts are being pushed back and forth, food is flying, and doors need to slam in the actors’ faces. There are almost no pauses, except pausing until the audience’s laughter dies down.”

Judging by audience response, the effort paid off. Patrons embraced the production’s fast-paced humour, with one theatre-goer calling it their favourite Belleville Theatre Guild production and expressing the hope that the company stages more farces in the future.

As the Belleville Theatre Guild marks its 75th season, One Man, Two Guvnors stands as a fitting reminder of the organization’s enduring contribution to community theatre. For three-quarters of a century, the Guild has brought stories to life, nurtured local talent, and created memorable experiences for audiences across the Quinte region. Productions such as this continue that tradition, demonstrating the creativity, dedication and collaborative spirit that have defined the Guild since its founding.

bellevilletheatreguild.ca

Announcement

This article was previously published in the Summer 2026 Vol. 35 No. 2 issue of Umbrella.