‘One man, two guvnors’ … one great night out

Richard Bean’s re-working of an 18th century Commedia dell’arte by Carlo Goldoni at The National Theatre in 2011 was not, on the face of it, a nailed-on triumph in prospect. In the event though, One Man, Two Guvnors with James Corden in the lead became a runaway success, transferring to the West End and then on to Broadway. It’s a brilliant and hilarious play when performed by seasoned and highly talented professionals, but how would it fair in the hands of the entirely amateur company at The Stables theatre in Hastings? Toby Sargent was at the first night to find out.