Shakespeare and silliness: George Fouracres on the mysterious man of One Man Musical

Written by: Kat Mokrynski
Published: Friday 24th January 2025

After sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Soho Theatre, One Man Musical is currently playing at Underbelly Boulevard Soho. Running until 2 March, the show, written by musical comedians Flo & Joan, tells the story of a "very renowned and real life gentleman" who is "an icon of the musical theatre world" - no spoilers here, you're going to have to see it to figure out who it is!

Recently, we had the chance to talk with George Fouracres, who plays the titular "Man" in One Man Musical. We discussed how he got started in comedy, some top-secret research on the "Man" and how Shakespeare and comedy shows are not as different as one might think!

How did you first get started in the worlds of theatre and comedy?

I just wanted to act, but writing comedy sketches meant I could write interesting roles for myself and my friends to perform while we were at uni. I met my best friends at uni and we left and kept writing sketches together in London, which is how my old sketch group, Daphne, was born, with Phil Wang and Jason Forbes.

When we had a fallow year, I wrote my one and only stand-up show because I just wanted to do a gentle anecdotal hour about my upbringing and my weird but lovely family. I just kept plugging away at the stage acting while all that was happening and auditioning for the occasional "Huh, what do you mean, main character?" role or "Hey don't touch my calculator" role in other people's sitcoms (mostly unsuccessful).

What made you want to be a part of One Man Musical?

That sweet sweet Flo & Joan money. They're alright for a few bob these lads. And I MEAN loaded. The other week we polished off a full bottle of Disaronno between the three of us and we bought an ostrich online. Dark web it was. We were so drunk we ordered it to some random address the computer auto-filled (we were using someone else's computer they'd left open in a hot desking room). No idea where it went to - I don't even want to tell you what it cost. But honestly, it's NOTHING to those boys.

What has it been like working with Flo & Joan to portray the man in One Man Musical?

It's been a dream, genuinely my favourite thing I've ever done - I can't believe how lucky I am.

I was a fan of Flo & Joan for years, and they also happen to be like family to me now. But I'll be honest with you, with that pair, I can't get a handle on the rage. From them, I mean. I don't know where it comes from, but you should see them. It's the football results mainly. My heart goes cold when I see them huddled 'round Gillette Soccer Saturday (we all share a Sky Sports subscription but they keep changing the password on the Sky Go app so I can't use it) on their iPad mini (one Airpod each) because I know any second it's going to go from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye. I won't tell you which one's worse, but I bet you can guess. I keep gently suggesting they wouldn't feel so strongly if they didn't keep putting so much money on their accas but there's no talking to them.

Did you do any research on your role going into the show?

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What is it like performing in a Shakespeare play like Hamlet or The Comedy of Errors versus a comedic show like One Man Musical?

There's really no gulf between them. It's all about live performance. It's important to remember that Shakespeare's plays aren't literature - they're specifically recipe books for a belting night out at one of Shakespeare's theatres during his lifetime. All the distinctions between comedies, histories and tragedies were added by his pals after his death when they published his works to help him seem more highfalutin.

It's almost impossible to internalise how people in the 16th and early 17th century would react to entertainment, but the sublime and the ridiculous existed much more closely for them, perhaps because they lived shorter and more intense lives, and before Victorian imperialism was foisting a stifling code of behavioural conduct on them like in later centuries.

Victorians used to edit out the funny bits of Hamlet, for instance, because they thought Shakespeare must have made a mistake? How arrogant and condescending, although sadly those attitudes persist all over the gaff. I might be biased because I do quite literally have Bipolar Disorder, so howling despair and uncontrollable hilarity are perhaps a bit more entwined for me, but Shakespeare and Early Modern people seem to have understood that very deeply. In my experience, people who think silliness is trivial are not great people to have conversations with about anything important. Shakespeare loved silliness as much as stateliness. Hated improv, though. Great bit in Hamlet about comic actors dicking about with the lines and how much it drives him up the wall.

What was it like performing One Man Musical at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

I LOVED performing the show - it was the best part of every single day, so so lucky and blessed. I could have done without the ultra-capitalist exploitative nightmare of the Fringe itself and its relentless assault upon the mental health of every good, honest performer there. I also didn't enjoy paying the equivalent of a month and a half's rent in London on a windowless room with an overflowing skip outside the front door where the limited cooking facilities meant I ate boiled eggs every day for every meal like an ageing aristocrat who's lost all his fortune and his marbles.

What advice do you have for those looking to go into comedy?

Collaborate. Find your people. Remember what makes you laugh and why. Keep enjoying yourself - I can't stress how not worth it this is if you don't enjoy yourself.

Don't spend the money from the gig on beer straight after the gig - take it home and spend it on beer with your mates.

Don't ever let bitterness in by comparing yourself to others - the whole industry's rigged and unfair, but it doesn't mean it's not worth it or that you don't have a place in it.

You'll be amazed by how much work you have to do for free, so try not to resent the people who don't have to worry about that because they come from wealth and don't have to also do about three other part-time jobs to support themselves. Also, never think those people are better than you just because they're more serene.

Be good to everyone you meet - there is literally nothing you can do that is impressive enough to justify you being a dickhead to anyone.

If you're wondering why it feels inexplicably weird when you hang around with "cool" people, the emotion you're trying to put your finger on is "boredom". Go and find a weirdo you enjoy knocking about with just because they're them.

What do you hope audiences take away from One Man Musical?

Punch upwards. Also, let how talented Flo & Joan are sink in - never mind me, the musicality is mindblowing, and they do it all in their HEADS.

How would you describe One Man Musical in one word?

Wowwowsonicesogoodpleasebuyticketswereallyneedtoshiftsometicketsherelads.

One Man Musical runs until 2nd March at Underbelly Boulevard Soho. Info & tickets