Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Michael Praed, Mark Benton, Noel Sullivan, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Phoebe Coupe, Carley Stenson, Emma Caffrey, Andy Conaghan, Soophia Foroughi, Johnny Godbold, Orla Gormley, Patrick Harper, Jordan Livesey, Regan Shepherd, Kevin Stephen-Jones, Katie Warsop, Jenny Wickham, Justin-Lee Jones, Andy Rees, Freya Rowley.

When a successful film becomes a play or vice versa, it barely registers upon those who would see no such problem in the transfer from one medium to another; turn into a musical however and the ructions and the staring down the barrel of supposed theatrical insanity ensues. What elements get left out to accommodate a series of numbers, how can they improve upon the quality of the film by having songs that somehow feel fraudulent to the genetic make-up of previous piece; it is enough to have the film buff intrigued but also arguably peeved at the thought.

For one such musical adaptation stands in the heart of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, a film that brought together the towering acting might of Michael Caine and Steve Martin and in which like many films of its period still holds great affection in many of its fans.

However, with a good cast, almost anything is possible and in this particular production, the unscrupulous goings on the French Riviera are given great credence.

Whilst Michael Praed is undoubtedly the main attraction as Lawrence Jameson and his counterpart Noel Sullivan laps up the younger applause as Freddy Benson, it is to Mark Benton and Carley Stenson to which the musical hangs upon. Mark Benton excels as the corrupt official, adding great humour away from the normally perceived pace of the musical and for Carley Stenton, far too long in the shadows in plays such as Spamalot and Legally Blonde, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels represents a part in which she comes alive and really adds great charm and distinction to.

For any musical to try and live up to a successful film, one that doesn’t arguably naturally lend itself to the aspiration of having a series of songs thrown into the proceedings, it could be seen as the toughest of asks. In this particular case, though Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a story that should be seen as a straight play, it nonetheless captures the mood of extravaganza and in songs such as Ruffhousin’ Mit Shuffhausen, All About Ruprecht and Love Is My Legs, the musical really kicks off and becomes more than many may have given it credit for.

Inventive, creative and honest in its outlook, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is an enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

Ian D. Hall