One Man, Two Guvnors at PTC

When PTC announced the 2014-2015 season, I didn't know anything about the play One Man, Two Guvnors but I knew I definitely wanted to see it because David Ivers, one of my favorite actors and directors at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, was directing it!  In my opinion, Ivers is absolutely brilliant with physical comedy (I loved his version of Twelfth Night at last summer's festival) so I knew this show would be a lot of fun!  Fun is an understatement!  I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this production last night and I can't remember when I've laughed so hard!  Essentially, the story is about two couples who are prevented from getting married.  Pauline (Katie Fabel) and Alan (Christopher Sears) can't get married because her father has arranged a marriage of convenience with a gay man named Roscoe (for profit).  Rachel (Lucy Lavely) and Stanley (William Connell) can't get married because Stanley accidentally killed Rachel's "identical" twin brother (you guessed it: Roscoe) and they are on the run.  Rachel decides to impersonate her brother Roscoe and go to Brighton to get back the money he paid to Pauline's father so she and Stanley can emigrate to Australia (where they will, apparently, have to listen to opera for the rest of their lives).  She hires Francis (Christopher DuVall) to be her (his?) man-about-town but won't pay him until the end of the week and he is hungry.  Stanley follows Rachel (Roscoe?) to Brighton and also tries to hire Francis to be his man-about-town.  Francis agrees, but only if he pays him up front (because he's hungry).  Francis spends much of his time trying to prevent each "guvnor" from finding about the other (and trying to procure food).  In other words, it is a complete farce filled with characters hiding, running around, slamming doors, and falling down stairs.  Throw in a bit of audience participation and an amazing skiffle band playing between scenes and you have one of the funniest shows around.  All of the actors have perfect comedic timing but I absolutely loved Sears as the melodramatic over-the-top amateur actor Alan.  I laughed hysterically at everything he said and did!  The set looked like pop art and I loved the mod costumes and beehive hairdos from the 1960s.   If you are not easily offended by crude humor and suggestive language, this show is not to be missed!  Go here for more information and tickets.  It runs through November 15.