Showing @ King’s Theatre, Edinburgh until Sat 6 Nov
Part music recital, part piano lesson. Throw in a pinch of Les Dawson piano playing and Laurel and Hardy visual comedy and you’ll have an idea for the feel of this production.
2 Pianos 4 Hands is presented by internationally popular musical comedy duo Katzenjammer as a two-hander told mainly in flashback, the story is focused on two boys, Richard (Steven Worbey) and Ted (Kevin Farrell), taking their first steps into the world of piano playing and their ultimate progression. Unfortunately the production is a little lop-sided, the second act with its pathos turned up to full volume made up for a weaker first act where the humour was just a little too gentle and the story was akin to a 50 minute piano lesson.
Worbey and Farrell play a dozen or more characters, having known one another since puberty their note perfect harmony was evident in both acting and playing the piano. We witness their journey from petulant children, onto teenage piano geeks, (even more petulant) and finally thirty somethings, that have failed in their musical hopes. It’s this failure that brings out the best in both the actors and the storyline.
Richard and Ted wanted to be the best piano players in the world; they settled for being the best piano players in the neighbourhood. Whether it be a childhood dream of being a cricketer, artist or pianist, this is a metaphor that many in the audience understood.