{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox play |name = Two Into One |image = |image_size = |caption = |writer = Ray Cooney |chorus = |characters = 8 |mute = |setting = Hotel suite, Westminster |premiere = 1981 |place = Haymarket Theatre, Leicester<ref name="Cooney">{{cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Two Into One|url=https://www.raycooney.co.uk/ray-cooney-plays-two-into-one|location=|publisher= |access-date=7 March 2026}}</ref> |orig_lang = English |series = |subject = |genre = Farce |web = }} '''''Two Into One''''' is a farce written by English playwright Ray Cooney, which premiered in Leicester in 1981,<ref name="Cooney"/> then performed at Guildford in 1983, and then had a long run at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London from late 1984 to early 1986. Cooney both directed and acted in a 2014 production of the play in London, and it was also translated into Swedish as ''Hotelliggaren''.
==Production history== ''Two Into One'' was first performed at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, on 19 March 1981.<ref name="Cooney"/> This production was directed by Roger Redfarn, and Cooney played the part of George Pigden.<ref name="Cooney"/>
Two years later it was performed at Guildford, Surrey, in a co-production by Theatre of Comedy and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, from 11 May to 4 June 1983.<ref name=2into1>{{cite web | title=Two Into One | website=Theatricalia | url=https://theatricalia.com/play/5cc/two-into-one | access-date=25 April 2025}}</ref> This production was directed and produced by playwright Ray Cooney, with stage design by Terry Parsons. Cooney also played George Pigden, while Derek Waring played Richard Willey, Joyce Blair played Pamela Willey, Serretta Wilson played Jennifer Bristow, and Anthony Sharp played The Manager.<ref name="h653">{{cite web | title=Production of Two Into One | website=Theatricalia | url=https://theatricalia.com/play/5cc/two-into-one/production/1ddb | access-date=25 April 2025}}</ref>
The play had a long run at the Shaftesbury Theatre from 15 October 1984 to 15 February 1986. It starred Donald Sinden in the lead role as The Right Hon Richard Willey, MP until Donald Hewlett took over the role temporarily from 18 March to 27 April 1985, and then Anton Rodgers for the final year. Michael Williams played George Pigden for the whole run apart from being temporarily replaced by Tom Conti from 18 March to 27 April 1985. Lionel Jeffries played The Manager, later temporarily replaced by Eric Sykes and then Moray Watson. Actresses included Linda Hayden, Serretta Wilson, Jane Downs, Angela Browne, and Barbara Murray. Playwright Ray Cooney also directed the production,<ref>{{cite web | title=Production of Two Into One | website=Theatricalia | url=https://theatricalia.com/play/5cc/two-into-one/production/brw | access-date=25 April 2025}}</ref> and his Theatre of Comedy Company bought the theatre during the run.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shaftesburytheatre.com/about-us/our-history/|title=Our History| website=Shaftesbury Theatre }}</ref>
Also during 1984–5, the play had a run in Canada, in a production by Ed and David Mirvish in association with Theatre of Comedy and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto.<ref name=2into1/>
In 1999 a film version of the play in Swedish, directed by Bo Hermansson and featuring Peter Haber, Suzanne Reuter, Hans V. Engström, Iwa Boman, and Johan Rheborg was released, titled ''{{ill|Hotelliggaren|sv}}''.<ref>{{cite web | title=Hotelliggaren | website=kvarnvideo.se | url=https://www.kvarnvideo.se/se/art/hotelliggaren.php | language=sv | access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Hotelliggaren | website=Crille.org | url=https://crille.org/2006/08/hotelliggaren-1999/ | language=sv | access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref><ref name=smdb>{{cite web | title=Hotelliggaren | website=Svensk mediedatabas (SMDB) | url=https://smdb.kb.se/catalog/id/002125252 | language=sv | access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Name | first=Your | title=Hotelliggaren | website=Vulkanteatern | url=https://www.vulkanteatern.se/hotelliggaren.html | language=sv | access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref> ''Hotelliggaren'' was also staged in 2012 by the amateur theatre group Vulkanteatern in Jönköping, Sweden.<ref>{{cite web | title=Hotelliggaren | website=Vulkanteatern | url=https://www.vulkanteatern.se/hotelliggaren.html | language=sv | access-date=25 April 2025}}</ref>
In 2014, a production of ''Two into One'' directed by Cooney and also featuring the playwright as The Waiter, was staged by Menier Chocolate Factory, a theatre in Southwark, London, running from 8 March to 26 April. Michael Praed played Richard Willey, Josefina Gabrielle was Pamela Willey, and Nick Wilton played George Pigden.<ref>{{cite web | title=Production of Two Into One | website=Theatricalia | url=https://theatricalia.com/play/5cc/two-into-one/production/v89 | access-date=25 April 2025}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Ray Cooney}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1981 plays Category:West End plays Category:British comedy plays Category:Plays by Ray Cooney Category:Laurence Olivier Award–winning plays