Spectacle and smut: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

There probably isn't a more glamorous and fun night out on the West End at the moment than with the current production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels playing at the Savoy Theatre on the West End. Everything about it is big, broad and lavish. The set piece numbers, the costumes and the jokes.

But most memorable is the star turn by Katherine Kingsley as the heiress that the two confidence men - Freddy and Lawrence - played by Rufus Hound and Robert Lindsay try to con. At times the show feels that it could be easily played as a three-hander as Hound, Lindsay and Kingsley are on stage for most of the time and so much fun to watch.

This show is no minimalistic production. There are several big and elaborate dance numbers - just in the first act. Perhaps there is a more economical show within the source material that might help give the piece a snappier pace, but even at its current lavish abundance, it still makes for great entertainment.


Based on the movie of the same name which starred Michael Cain, Steve Martin and Glenne Headly, the musical closely follows the story of the film and set on the French Riviera.

The show adds a little more subplot with one of Lawrence's former marks trying to return back to him and the local chief of police distracting her. When the supporting characters are played by Samantha Bond and John Marquez they are so much fun to watch and work so well together it is easy to overlook that this sub-plot seems a distraction from the main story (and no doubt a device to give the three principals a chance to come up for air).

It is hard to distinguish the exact time period as the cultural references and style of the production jump about, but the music by David Yazbek is a clever pastiche of Henry Mancini and the cool swing style of that era. While it often oozes sophistication with songs that could be musical standards, there are flashes of character appropriate smut with lyrics about having success "pouring out my ass".

I caught the show in preview and suspect that some of the issues around audibility of the singing have been resolved. The lyrics are too witty and smutty to be left inaudible as along with the energy levels of the principals it is key to the enjoyment of the show.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is playing at the Savoy Theatre, which with its art deco interior seems to complement the action on stage perfectly. Look out for discounts at the usual outlets.

****

Photos: Production images


Popular posts from this blog

Opera and full frontal nudity: Rigoletto

Image
David McVicar's oddly modern production of Rigoletto is back at the Royal Opera House.

This modern and minimalist dark production has evolved over the years. It is better lit now but there is still an orgy and full frontal nudity within the first thirty minutes. This enables anyone not in the stalls an excellent view of a flaccid penis and a nicely shaved bush. But as time goes it seems more and more superfluous to the main focus of this tragedy of a court jester who seeks revenge. Here is hoping that the production continues to evolve...

Conductor John Eliot Gardiner keeps the music well paced. Dimitri Platanias in the title role sounded great and received a rapturous applause for his interpretation of the role. You get a sense more of the doting father rather than the court jester or cursed man here.

Vittorio Grigolo plays the Duke and sounds too lovely to be the cad the role calls for, but it is hard not to like when he is on stage anyway. And it is easier to understand the…
Read more...

The other path: The Unbuilt City @kingsheadthtr

Image
Life love and legacy is at the heart of The Unbuilt City, Keith Bunin’s play having its European premiere at the King’s Head Theatre. And a lot of talk about sex with men over a bottle of bourbon. But all told it’s a delicate and contemplative two-hander marked by sensitive and warm performances.Set on a cold afternoon in February. Jonah (Jonathan Chambers) arrives at a townhouse in Brooklyn Heights. His mission is to persuade Claudia (Sandra Dickinson) to sell her secret art collection to a university archive. Particularly her documents relating to an architect and his unrealised plans for New York City.  But even if she can’t afford to heat her house and debts are mounting, she won’t part with her collection to anyone. She wants to know why Jonah is acting as a free agent. What are his passions, his regrets and his loves. Over the course of the piece each reveal a little about themselves and what things could have been. Bunin’s piece The Busy World Is Hushed was set against the backd…
Read more...

The Will Young show: Strictly Ballroom @TeamPiccadilly

Image
Love is in the air in Strictly Ballroom, currently playing at The Piccadilly Theatre. It’s the musical based on Baz Luhrmann’s 1992 movie about a boy daring to dance his own steps in the cut-throat world of amateur ballroom dancing. The movie was full of irony and light-heartedness with its corny follow your heart and ugly duckling storylines. Here the musicalisation hits this message over your head as if you’re watching the fall of communism.
Jonny Labey and Zizi Strallen in the lead roles as the unlikely dance couple give the show style and pizazz. He’s a rebel, she’s an ugly duckling. There is also a thrilling paso doble dance sequence to close the first act. They even get to sing two lines and sound terriffic. But the show is superfluously narrated by Will Young. He’s also the band leader singing all the songs. While this isn’t necessarily a bad idea, here it gives the impression you’re watching the Will Young musical. And often his light vocals are lost in the theatre. The decisi…
Read more...