Details

Underpaid. Overstretched. A wily Italian servant gets lucky in this classic commedia. Truffaldino is an out of work servant, and in one fantastic day he ends up with two jobs. And why not? - he's broke and hungry. Two jobs means twice as much money and twice as much food. It also means twice as much work. His two masters, meanwhile, are just as busy. Separated lovers on the run, they end up in the same inn, each unaware that the other is there. Which isn't difficult seeing as one of them is in drag. Confusion abounds in Carlo Goldoni's tale of disguise, deception, love and longing in Venice. Lee Hall's new adaptation of Goldoni's mould-breaking comedy of men and women, masters and servants imbues The Servant of Two Masters with contamporary wit and wisdom. Young lovers Clarice and Silvio have no sooner got engaged than a servant arrives to announce that Clarice's previous fiance, Federigo Rasponi, believed dead, is at the door to claim his bride. 'Signor Rasponi' is actually the dead man's sister Beatrice, come to Venice in disguise to pursue her lover Florindo. Truffaldino manages to be employed as a servant to both Beatric and Florindo, each ignorant of the other's presence in the city. To cover up the duplication he has to invent another imaginary servant. Mayhem ensues. Barclays Stage Partners with The Arts Council of England.

Creatives/Company

Author: Carlo Goldoni
Company(s): Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd (in collaboration with the Young Vic Theatre Company and Criterion Productions PLC)
Adapted by: Lee Hall
Translation: Gwenda Pandolfi
Director: Tim Supple
Design: Robert Innes Hopkins
Lighting: Paul Anderson