Details

An opera diva comes on stage with her pianist. She proceeds to sing a popular operatic aria. Half way through she is disturbed by a commotion from among the audience and a man is making his way toward the stage. The Diva valiantly continues but is finally forced to stop. Much to her horror she learns that he is a jazz and standards singer who has also been booked to perform that evening. Chaos prevails. The Diva in full tantrum goes to find the management. The Jazz Singer has control. On her return from this fruitless endeavour, she proceeds to demonstrate to him how to sing "with support." The clash of egos before, during and after their attempts to convince each other of the validity of their respective singing styles reaches a climax when the Jazz Singer is summarily dismissed from the stage. Victorious, for a moment, the Diva attempts to continue her recital but is once again thwarted as the Jazz Singer re-enters, now changed into his performing tuxedo. Attempts at meeting halfway have little success. The Jazz Singer tries his hand at grand opera and the first half ends with both condemning the other in the shows title song Two s a Crowd. The second half starts with the Diva, once again in control and ready to continue her recital. She has managed to lock the Jazz Singer in his dressing room and is confident of finishing the show uninterrupted. In mid aria she experiences a momentary vocal crisis and leaves the stage and her bewildered accompanist. There is no choice but to bring back the Jazz Singer and entreat him to continue while she recovers. He delivers one of the most popular songs in the repertory and the Diva is clearly impressed. She tries her hand at his style, stiffly at first. With a little instant tuition she develops the style with alarming speed and it is not long before the elegant Grand Dame is bumping and grinding her way through a song, letting her hair down and even doing a tango with Jazz singer. It seems that perhaps it is possible for two different styles to have artistic validity and the show comes to its climax with a medley of songs and a reprise of Two s a Crowd. Two's a Crowd website.

Cast/Performers

Rosalind Plowright, Robert Habermann