STRATFORD — Two rival con artists set up a bet to decide who gets to lay claim to the French Riviera: whoever first manages to extort 50 grand from a vacationing American heiress shall win unfettered access to the coast, while the loser must pack his bags and bid adieu.
Such is the premise of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” the 2005 Broadway musical comedy that opened Thursday at the Stratford Festival’s Avon Theatre.
If its frothy plot hearkens back to the Golden Age of musicals past — like “The Music Man” and “Guys and Dolls,” filled with sleazy men and quick-witted gals — that’s by design. Composer David Yazbek and book writer Jeffrey Lane pepper “Scoundrels” with many subtle and unsubtle nods to those shows from a bygone era. (The musical is also based on the 1988 film of the same name, which itself is a remake of the 1964 Marlon Brando-led “Bedtime Story.”)
But try as it might to borrow from the spirit of its predecessors, “Scoundrels” never quite reaches those same dizzying heights. Still, this new revival, featuring a knockout cast of performers and directed with flair by Tracey Flye, makes for a satisfying evening of entertainment.
Jonathan Goad, Stratford’s jack-of all trades, is wonderful as Lawrence Jameson, a con man who rakes in the dough by posing as a deposed prince seeking donations from rich women (who are more or less in on his scheme and merely looking for a distraction from their ennui).
As Freddy Benson, Lawrence’s younger American rival, Liam Tobin is astonishingly good, and barely breaks a sweat in the breathlessly physical role. Unlike his counterpart, who draws upon his bottomless pool of charm, Tobin’s Freddy evokes pity (and earns his moolah) with a wounded pup persona.
Yazbek’s brassy musical numbers evoke Cole Porter-style jazz melodies, with dashes of pop and even hip-hop (a nod, perhaps, to Meredith Wilson’s “The Music Man). They’re perfectly suitable for the material, even if they pale in comparison to Yazbek’s work on “The Full Monty” and, more recently, “The Band’s Visit” and “Dead Outlaw.”
The weakest part of “Scoundrels,” however, is Lane’s book. The musical begins at a leaden pace, with far too many songs for far too many characters. It’s only halfway through the first act that the action hits its stride. That coincides with the arrival of Shakura Dickson’s Christine Colgate, the gullible American heiress at the centre of the bet. When she makes her grand entrance (with the appropriately titled number “Here I am”), the game is — finally — afoot.
From there, “Scoundrels” takes off, and its second half comes pretty damn close to musical comedy perfection. It’s taut, funny, and filled with enough subversive twists (is Christine whom the men think she is?) to maintain the musical’s momentum through to its rollicking, giddy finale.
Flye’s production, featuring colourful costumes by Sue LePage and an elegant, seaside set by Lorenzo Savoini, zips along with ease, while Stephanie Graham’s choreography — particularly for the ensemble numbers — fully activates the Avon Theatre’s large stage.
Dickson, only in her second season with the Festival, makes a strong impression as the seemingly innocent Christine. Her belt is thrilling, if occasionally overamplified by Ranil Sonnadara’s sound designs. Derek Kwan is also a standout as Lawrence’s sidekick, along with Sara-Jeanne Hosie as Muriel Eubanks, a woman more than willing to pull out her chequebook for Lawrence.
Following Stratford’s sensational production of “Something Rotten” last year, the repertory company has banked on yet another “rotten” musical comedy to please its audiences. While “Scoundrels” may not be a runaway hit of the same calibre, it still can be considered certified fresh.
