Jodie Prenger and Hannah Spearritt will join Owain Arthur in One Man, Two Guvnors when it transfers to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in March.
The original cast of Nicolas Hytner’s hit show, which premiered at the National Theatre in March before transferring to the West End, will take the production to Broadway this spring while a new cast will carry on Richard Bean’s farce for London audiences in its new home from 2 March.
Joining Prenger and Spearritt are Martin Barrass, David Benson, Nigel Betts, Derek Elroy, Gerard Horan, Daniel Ings, Ben Mansfield and Gemma Whelan.
Set in 1960s Brighton, One Man, Two Guvnors tells the tale of food-loving Francis Henshall, who, after being fired from his skiffle band, finds a job as minder to small-time crook Roscoe Crabbe. Thinking of his stomach, he seizes the chance for a second meal ticket by also taking a job with Stanley Stubbers. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep them apart, however Roscoe and Stanley have a reason to seek each other out.
Prenger, who takes on the role of Francis’s love interest Dolly, first found fame when she won the role of Nancy on the BBC’s talent reality show I’d Do Anything. After starring in Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the actress embarked on a television career appearing in Hustle, Candy Cabs and Waterloo Road, as well as presenting radio programmes for BBC Radio 2.
Primeval star Spearritt, who will play Pauline, made her stage debut at the Southwark Playhouse last year in the critically-acclaimed The Belle’s Stratagem. A former member of pop group S Club 7, since leaving record studios behind Spearritt has appeared on screen in Miss Marple and Blessed. Her Primeval co-star Mansfield will join her in the cast as Stanley Stubbers.
Whelan completes the female cast as Rachel, the role Jemima Rooper originated. The actress has appeared in Stephen And The Sexy Partridge at Trafalgar Studios 2, Bee Stings at Theatre 503 and Punchdrunk’s Red Death Lates. Her television credits include Games Of Thrones, The Persuasionists and Cardinal Burns.
Betts’s (Harry) theatre credits include this Christmas’s Aladdin at the Lyric Hammersmith, War Horse and The 39 Steps, while Ings (Alan) is possibly best known for his screen appearances in The Café, Psychoville and Pete Versus Life, as well as stage credits including the NT’s Frankenstein and Southwark Playhouse’s Howl’s Moving Castle.
Benson and Elroy, who will play Gareth and Lloyd, have both been part of the One Man, Two Guvnors ensemble since its premiere at the National Theatre, while Barrass will make his London stage debut in the production as Alfie.
The original cast of One Man, Two Guvnors will finish the Adelphi theatre run on 25 February. The Haymarket transfer is currently booking until 1 September.
CM