Emma aime: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Musical

On Saturday the Hubby and I headed into the city with the Purple Fairy to catch a preview of the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Musical at the Theatre Royal. Having never been to Theatre Royal before we were enchanted by the beautiful theatre which is delightfully small and intimate. We took and seats and waited in anticipation for the musical to start.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a musical adaptation of the 1988 film which stared Steve Martin and Michael Caine. With music and lyrics by David Yazbek and book by Jeffrey Lane, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels centres on two con men on the French Riviera. The first is the suave, sophisticated and successful Lawrence Jameson, the other, a small-time crook named Freddy Benson.

When Freddy threatens to expose Lawrence’s operation, Lawrence begrudgingly agrees to take him under his wing and tutor him in the ‘art of the con’. The pair join forces and successfully work the Riviera until Freddy, frustrated by his apprentice ‘monkey boy’ role abandons the partnership and starts to compete with Lawrence, it soon becoming apparent that the small French town of Beumont sur Mer isn’t big enough for the two of them. They agree on a bet, the first one to extract $50,000 from a young female ‘soap’ heiress, Christine Colgate wins and gets to stay, the other must leave town forever.

I can safely say that Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was the best musical we have seen in a long time and was even funnier than the movie which is a favourite of mine! This musical romp through the riviera will keep you laughing all the way to the end with fabulously funny songs and great comedy moments.

Tony Sheldon is fabulous as Lawrence (if a little camp) and as for Matt Hetherington as Freddie well all I can say is give that man a Helpman. Matt absolutely stole the show with his portrayal of Freddie which I actually thought was better than Steve Martin who I find a little manic and over the top at times.