LIMA — “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” the latest production from the Encore Theatre, is a quirky musical based on the 1988 movie of the same name. And if you’re a fan of the movie, it’s a good bet that you’ll get a kick out of this stage version.
With that said, if you have seen the movie starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine, feel free to skip down a paragraph or two. The musical follows closely to the plot of the movie, so you won’t need the obligatory synopsis. Go ahead, skim down. It’s OK.
The setting is the French Riviera and the scoundrels are, naturally, con men. They woo wealthy women who are a little too bored or a little too naïve. Either way, the women are soon parted from their money and they don’t seem to notice. Or care.
Lawrence (Caine in the movie) is a sophisticated sort of con man with his act down cold. Freddy (Martin) is a younger con, with less sophistication and a happy-go-lucky insolence. They’re the yin and yang of the long con and eventually end up in a bet to win over an heiress. And this is all you get of the story line. If you haven’t seen the movie, there will be no spoilers here, sweeties.
The Encore production is fast-paced and funny, and even the song lyrics are comedic. The actors play to the audience with cheeky nods and jokes meant to break that fourth wall and pull the spectators into the frivolity. No con here — it’s light and fun, just as advertised.
Doug Norton was Freddy, and oh my, he does a good Steve Martin. He’s gangly and loose with a smirk and sass, a delicious goofball of charm with a hint of the wild-and-crazy Martin flair that makes the Freddy character such an appealing con man.
The master scoundrel, Lawrence, was played with arrogant appeal by Jeff Kerr. His frustrations with the over-the-top Freddy are classic comedy. Inspector Andre was played by Steve Dietrich, and kudos for maintaining that French-like accent the entire performance — including the musical numbers. He was also a great straight man for Lawrence, garnering a lot of laughs.
Morgan Bode was Christine, full of pluck and that naïveté which is like catnip to the con men. She is at the center of their bet, to woo and win. Christine is different from other marks, and our scoundrels soon find themselves in a true con challenge. Bode plays the innocent heiress-next-door convincingly, and has a great singing voice to boot. She stands out musically on stage and her solos are top-notch.
Julie Kerr was a hoot as the more-money-for-her-own-good millionaire country girl, Jolene. She brought some campiness to the story, although any Oklahoma natives in the audience might have been a bit put off. But it’s all in good fun and Jolene fit right into the eccentric cast of characters.
