If you think musicals are not for you, then go and see this. Believe us it takes something very good indeed to warrant a standing ovation. On press night.
Created by Jerry Mitchell, together with Jeffrey Lane and David Yazbek, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is slick, suave and unequivocally one of the best things on the West End at the moment. Set in the French Riviera, it opens with seasoned swindler Lawrence (Robert Lindsay) preparing for a new season of conning wealthy women out of their fortunes. Yet when he teams up with Freddy (Rufus Hound), high jinx, dirty tricks and a plethora of genius one-liners follow.
Lindsay and Hound are a dream team on stage. Lindsay's moves are enough to charm 007 out of a job. Both have extraordinary comic timing. Plus, 'victims' Samantha Bond (look out for her brilliant duet with John Marquez, as Lawrence's loyal French servant Andre) and Katherine Kingsley inject a note of fabulousness to the cast. Other highlights to watch out for is the genius lyrics to All About Ruprecht, Oklahoma will have you giggling into your drinks (and wanting to get into a pair of cowboy boots) and Hound's Great Big Stuff is pure toe- tapping, musical indulgence.
The finale number is dirty rotten perfection. All musicals should be like this.
