Stepping into the spotlight

Welsh actor Owain (pronounced Oh-whine) Arthur was the understudy to popular UK comedian James Corden in the initial West End run of the wildly successful comedy romp One Man, Two Guvnors. It’s something of a thankless occupation, that of the understudy: a lifetime spent waiting in the wings, only to face potentially hostile audiences on those rare nights you do get to strut your stuff.

And yet, Arthur parlayed his stint into an unlikely success story: when Corden left the production, his understudy stepped up, becoming the leading man in a production that’s since continued on the West End and is now mid-way through an Australian tour.

Was that his cunning plan all along?

“Yes and no, I suppose – more no than yes,” the Welsh actor chuckled.

“For such a successful show with such a high-profile actor as the lead, I was expecting them to go the same way [and hire a big name] when they were re-casting it as well. I was hoping they would let me have a chance, because it’s such a great part to play.”

Arthur’s fate was sealed when the play’s director Nicholas Hynter caught one of the performances in which he was filling in for Corden, best known for his high-profile roles in comedies like Gavin & Stacey and Fat Friends. By contrast, Arthur’s biggest role to date had been in a Welsh soap opera – but the director was so impressed, he couldn’t wait until the end of the night to announce his decision.

“That was a night to remember, I can tell you! I was outside catching some fresh air during the interval and he waltzed through backstage telling everyone to cancel all the auditions because the part was mine.”

The Richard Bean-penned West End hit takes the 1743 Commedia dell’arte play Servant of Two Masters as its basis, transposing the action to 1960’s Brighton, England. Arthur plays Francis Henshall, a hapless fellow who becomes simultaneously employed by two men, both criminals and gangsters. Neither of his employers is quite what they appear, but for Hensall, top priority is keeping his two volatile bosses from finding out about each other.

“He’s a loveable guy and a chancer, but he’s constantly on edge throughout the whole play,” said Arthur, who noted that a familiarity with the original Commedia dell’arte story was not a prerequisite to enjoying the play.

“It’s better that they don’t know. If you’re going to try to intellectualise this play too much, you should stay at home. It’s definitely the type of play you should come to and just forget all your cares and worries,” he said.

“Somebody told me after one of our performances in the West End that this show should be on the NHS (National Health Service), which I loved. For me to be able to do that every night is such a blessing.”

INFO: One Man, Two Guvnors, Sydney Theatre, until May 11 – www.sydneytheatre.com.au. Then at Melbourne Theatre Company from May 17 – www.mtc.com.au