Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Jamie Jackson oils his way around the Buell Theatre stage as Lawrence Jameson, a suave sophisticated playboy scoundrel bilking wealthy women out of their money.

The National Tour of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Photo by Carol Rosegg

Doug Thompson’s Freddy Benson hasn’t quite got the suave sophisticated playboy act down. Young, eager, slightly on the awkward side, he has his own act perfected. He knows how to crawl into the compassion of wealthy women with tall tales about his grandfather’s ill health. The women fall head over heels in gushing sympathy for this poor heartbroken boy.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels rolls out its punches on the French Riviera, whimsically set on the Buell Stage designed by David Rockwell. Directed by Philip Wm. McKinley, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels meets the expectations of the Broadway hit that opened in 2005, garnering 11 Tony nominations.

Freddie, realizing he could learn sneaky tricks from Lawrence, tries to hook up with him. Impetuous, determined, with a little boy eagerness, Thompson’s gymnastic dance routines stands in direct opposition to Jackson’s controlled debonair “this-is-my-territory-and-you-can’t-have-it” attitude of ownership.

In cahoots with Lawrence, Jeff Essex as Andre Thibault tries his best to keep Lawrence on the right path of sticking to finding the wealthiest women to snare into their we-want-your-money trap. In playing second fiddle to Jackson, Essex holds his own in character and voice.

With the whimsical set to play on, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels projects a cartoon-type atmosphere lending itself well to the comedic arena.

The music under the direction of Kevin Casey for the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Orchestra gives a fun light-hearted punch to the story with such songs as “The Only Game In Town,” “What Was A Woman To Do,” “Nothing Too Wonderful To Be True,” “Like Zis/Like Zat,” and “Son of Great Big Stuff.”

Vince Pesce’s choreography, based on the original by Jerry Mitchell, matches the dancers’ energetic abilities feeding into a continued storyline. Some include relatively simple repetitive steps fitting the tone of the music, and the comedic atmosphere.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels may not set the world on fire, but then again, it isn’t meant to. It is what it is, a very fun and very “funnily” written show with some very funny lines projected by actors claiming ownership.

The women are slightly hair-brained- dingy with the actors taking them for hilarious rides. Suzanne’s Sole’s Muriel Eubanks keeps the laughter riding high.

Deciding the French Riviera is too small for two con men, Freddie snares Lawrence into a bet between the two. The first one to convince a woman to give them $50,000 wins, and the other must leave town.

What neither one thinks about is that maybe a woman knows how to play the con game too. Jenny Gulley’s humorous empty-headed approach to Christine Colgate appears to be the perfect target.

Concentrating on each other’s plan of attack, Lawrence manages to show up behind potted plants unraveling Freddie’s sneaky conniving tricks. This results in a one-upsmanship-game between the two diametrically opposed characters.

Stumbling and tumbling into each other’s way, Christine plays along with both. Gulley’s capture of Christine leads Freddie and Lawrence slap-sticking their way into each other.

The joke however is one them with Christine proving she has more brains then the two of them put together.

Based on the 1988 Frank Oz film, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels lends itself well to the transition from film to stage with its flaired pizazz and silly monkeying around. Jerry Lane wrote the Book to live on the stage and David Yazbek wrote the music and lyrics.

Lighting designed by Philip Watson dances with tongue in cheek to the musical antics which was as much fun to watch as the scoundrels themselves.

Audiences become as intriguing and mysterious as the bright lights and unfolding story before them. On opening night, some left during Intermission. Some became bored with the story, the characters, and choreography. That wasn’t the case where I was sitting. Those around became as enthralled with the high-energy antics and subtleties as did I.

In a world where conmen cheat millions of unsuspecting, naive trusting people out of life savings nearly every day with promises of untold riches, we relish the slick conmen on film and stage. What makes us languish in reality leaves us in stitches when entertainment floats by, an interesting and debatable dichotomy to say the least.

One person called to say they had tickets. Because of what they had heard, considered pawning them off. They were encouraged to go, pay attention, and put everything into proper perspective, to see and appreciate it for what it is. They called early the next morning to say “Thank You”. Had they “conned” someone to take their tickets, they would have missed one of the most enjoyable evenings they’d had theatre-wise.

Maybe following on the heels of the totally incredible, imaginative Spamalot cut into over-blown expectations for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to be what it didn’t want to be, intended to be, or designed to be. False expectations create a disoriented unfair atmosphere.

The National Tour of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is sheer, total, unadulterated fun that doesn’t want to spoon feed anything to anyone. It wants to be what it is, a simple silly romp with strong actors and strong voices bringing cartooned characters to life with giggly lines connected to each other.

Go for the fun of it. Fun is what Dirty Rotten Scoundrels has to offer. To look for something else is to miss the gift.