Enjoy Celebrity Radio’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Musical Savoy Theatre West End Review….
Occasionally a new show comes into the West End which ticks all of the boxes. Hairspray, Wicked, The Producers, Spamalot all felt so right when they opened and so does Dirty Rotten Scoundrels The Musical.
In 2006 I first reviewed this show on Broadway and I could not understand why this remarkably polished production didn’t transfer to the West End – it was written for London audiences!
Well, in April 2014 my wish was granted – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels arrived at the Savoy Theatre London.
Based on the 1988 film with Steve Martin & Michael Cane – this show was never going to be short of laughs….
Enjoy Celebrity Radio’s Exclusive Audio Review via YouTube:
This show is a beautifully written and crafted comedy of nonsense, farce, slap-stick schtick, buffoonery and deception.
Unlike so many is this ilk, it is made with love and care and moves along incredibly quickly. It has a great story to drive the script forward.
What surprised me most about this production was the performance of it’s headlining cast. They were all truly terrific and appeared to love every line as much as we did. Rare after several months into a show.
I haven’t heard so many consistent belly laughs from an entire audience in a long time.
Robert Lindsay leads this cast expertly along side Rufus Hound as his novice scoundrel accomplice. Samantha Bond brings such warmth to the production and shines as the terrific actress she is.
Lindsay, best known of late for BBC comedy ‘My Family’, had remarkable energy, stage presence and passion for the role. He was perfectly cast in my view and couldn’t have delivered the lines better. His physical comedy and playing with the clever script was inspired.
Rufus Hound is Lindsay’s perfect sidekick. Rufus clearly knows comedy as a brilliant Stand-up and has a silliness that complimented Roberts performance perfectly.
I have not seen such great chemistry between two leading men since Lane and Broderick in The Producers on Broadway.
I’m not the first to say Hound has a great warmth that audiences love, especially in the West End following his triumph in ‘Guvnors. His ability to make a role fly is second to none.
The reason this show works big-time is that it has an impressive set and some really beautifully written tunes. Most plays of this nature are visually unappealing and rely purely on laughs. This show really offers everything.
Vocally, maybe this cast won’t win awards but I believed every line they sung, it was incredibly refreshing.
Nods must also go to John Marquez who also delivered his party perfectly.
Sadly Katherine and Lizzy were out of the show during my performance, however, their understudies were spectacular. Vocally hugely impress and certainly not bad on the eye either!
Don’t miss Dirty Rotten Scoundrels The Musical at The Savoy Theatre in London’s West End.
Check back soon for Exclusive interviews with the cast.
Review by Alex Belfield at celebrityradio.alexbelfield.com August 8th 2014
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