The Stratford Festival production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels has just been extended to November 23 – and it’s easy to see why. The high-energy sun-drenched caper offers continuous belly laughs, slick cons, and musical mischief set in the exotic French Riviera. Directed by Tracey Flye, this production leans into its madcap premise with style and confidence.
Based on the 1988 film of the same name, the plot follows two rival swindlers: suave and seasoned Lawrence Jameson (Jonathan Goad) and brash upstart Freddy Benson (Liam Tobin). When the pair meet in a posh coastal town and realise that the market for duping wealthy women is too small for both, they make a bet: the first to extract $50,000 from a young heiress can stay, while the other must ship out. Their mark? The naive Christine Colgate (Shakura Dickson), whose wide-eyed sincerity upends their expectations.
As Lawrence, Goad is effortlessly debonair. He exudes British polish and poise in each smarmy song and scam, giving Jameson’s manipulations a sheen of suave, not sleaze. Tobin’s Freddy, an American, is his diametrical opposite. chaotic and crude, broad not subtle – a slapstick tornado with bravado to spare. Tobin’s physical comedy – particularly in the scenes involving Freddy’s invented condition and alter ego “Ruprecht” – dissolves the audience in laughter. Together, the pair mine a treasure trove of comic fodder in their manic one-upmanship. Meanwhile, Dickson brings warmth and naïveté to Christine, providing more than just a foil for the con men; her crisp comic timing and strong vocals more than hold her own.
The ensemble cast, including Sara-Jeanne Hosie (as wealthy Muriel Eubanks), a slyly comic Derek Kwan (as a French police inspector and Jameson’s trusted aide Andre Thibault), and Michele Shuster (Jolene Oakes, a hilarious additional target of the swindlers), adds verve throughout, with strong comedic support and dynamic musical moments.
Flye’s direction keeps the pace brisk and buoyant, and leans into the manic and metatheatrical silliness of the script. For those receptive to the show’s exaggerated tone and cheeky asides (and clearly, that’s just about everyone), it’s an absolute blast, supercharged by Stephanie Graham’s choreography, which is elegant, stylized, and nods to old Hollywood movie musicals while injecting fresh vitality. The full ensemble routines, in particular, channel the show’s irreverence, pace and spirit into an irresistible infection of toe-tapping and head-nodding.
And visually, the production is bright and fun. Lorenzo Savoini’s two-tier set design evokes Riviera glitz with rotating panels, luxurious details, and quick scene transitions. Sue LePage’s costumes, in vibrant candy colours and character-specific flair, also help capture both the show’s opulence and absurdity. Michael Walton’s lighting and Ranil Sonnadara’s sound design round out the production with a bright ebullience that captures the fizzy spirit of this farce and its glittering geographical locale.
That said, not all audience members will be taken in by script. The major plot twist is pretty easy to spot in advance, and let’s face it: this material is winkingly shallow. And while David Yazbek’s score and Jeffrey Lane’s book are witty, they do tilt at times into self-parody, trading emotional depth for comic payoff. Still, the laughs are constant, and the cast is so committed (the volume on their performances is turned universally up to 11) that watching the show is like a beach vacation on stage: sunny, indulgent, and yes, a tad ridiculous.
And of course, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels isn’t aiming for gravitas. With rapid-fire jokes, showstopping performances and a breezy, self-aware charm, it offers an unapologetically silly, fantastically fizzy counterpoint to the season’s weightier works. Think of it like a fancy cocktail: it may offer little nutritional value—but you’ll delight in it and feel a pleasant buzz, right up to and even past the last sip.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels continues at the Stratford Festival’s Avon Theatre until November 23, 2025. Tickets are available on stratforfestival.ca.
© Arpita Ghosal, Sesaya Arts Magazine 2025
