CONGRATS to the Drama department at Budehaven and the students/staff involved in producing a wonderful production of the play, One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean, which was recently performed in the John Ward Hall at the school, writes school governor Dawn Robinson-Walsh.

Top class acting and stage managing from the whole team were the order of the night.

There were some particularly strong characters in this comedy based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni (written in 1746) and originally performed professionally at the National Theatre.

This version is set in Brighton in 1963, and contains some improvisation, too, along with memorable quotes.

The undoubted star of the show was the main character, Francis, played by Year 10 student, Ben Willmott. Ben is involved with Launceston Amateur Dramatic Society. His comic timing was excellent (and he had some pretty good lines to be fair) but also his expressions were spot on.

Given James Corden played it in London, Ben would eventually give him a run for his money.

Another strong character was Alan, played by Thomas Marples, from Year 10, currently musical director for Bude Youth Theatre. His (designed to be) OTT actor role, delivered with a ramrod-straight back, was excellent, reminiscent of many a luvvie.

Year 13’s Lizzy Hobbs made a superb Rachel. She has been in many performances and wants a career on the stage. She played both male and female characters with aplomb. Luka Talajic-Sims I could not believe was only in Year 9, playing a snooty public school toff brilliantly.

The Facebook comments said it all, really. People found the play hilarious and said they hadn’t laughed so much in ages. What more could any audience ask for? A bit of farce, visual and verbal comedy, aided by Alfie, played by Little Dan, a member of the support staff who seemed to bounce back from all his falls like a ball, left the audience feeling good on leaving.

Of course, any production is more than any individual. It is the sum total of all its players, and then some more. Basically, the team has to work well together, otherwise, it is a potential disaster. This one certainly was not that — the chemistry worked and the outcome was fabulous.

Many congratulations to all the cast and the crew on their achievement.