There seems to be a pretty clear formula in play for San Jose Stage’s latest production, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.” In the simplest terms, cast some of the Stage’s most seasoned performers, build around them some delightful complementary pieces and top it all off with fierce diva energy. And then, let the lot of them go buck wild.
The insanely wicked 2004 musical “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” based on the 1988 film of the same name starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin, has plenty going for it, despite some rather thin material and characters that aren’t particularly developed. It is a production that fully leans into its irreverence and chaos, moving to its witty conclusion with plenty of giddiness and getup.
The finely tuned Lawrence Jameson (Jonathan Rhys Williams) makes it clear he is not one to rummage around with the hoi polloi of French Riviera society, unless he is swindling them. His con is of a much higher caliber, featuring a certain kind of flashy refinement.
That is not the case for the base and vulgar American Freddy Benson (Keith Pinto), a fellow swindler who Lawrence enlists to help him get future bride Jolene Oakes (Hayley Lovgren) to two-step out of his life. This task isn’t easy due to the gun she’s pointing at Lawrence’s head, which complicates things a tad.
The alliance is short-lived, due to the competitive arrogance of each man. While the town may not be big enough for the both of ‘em, each agrees to attempt a $50,000 swindle on a bet, with the loser heading out of town on a one-way ticket. The agreed upon target is clumsy soap queen Christine Colgate (Ashley Garlick), who has a little something up her sleeve as well.
While the story can be convoluted, slamming lots of twists and turns into its nearly three hour runtime, it moves quite seamlessly through space, with a breakneck amount of movement and dancing never leaving the stage alone for very long.
Within director Johnny Moreno’s spry staging lies many opportunities to exploit the comic timing of the talented cast, which starts and ends with Williams and Pinto. They are two character opposites — the firmly-accented Williams throws himself deeply into his stuffy Lawrence, foiling wonderfully alongside the absurdly-base Freddy, whom the whirling dervish that is Pinto seems to be having a ball with. The deep gesticulations of Pinto are boundless, his limber body smacking all over the walls as he doles out tools from his bawdy, comic toolbox. Together, whether by the show’s structure or the actors’ longtime chemistry, the show is a solid vehicle for Williams and Pinto collectively and individually.
Plenty of joy emanates from the music and lyrics of David Yazbek, whose score offers up loads of stylistic and irreverent humor (not always aided by the theater’s occasionally muffled sound system). The gusto that Pinto and Williams flash in a number introducing Lawrence’s revolting brother, “All About Ruprecht,” hilariously goes to 11 on the gross-o-meter. And in a blistering tune where Lovgren’s Oklahoma lady sings a delightful ode to her home state, she hilariously steals the show with an old fashioned production number replete with Leslie Waggoner’s sharp choreography.
Garlick gives as good as she gets, pairing well with whomever happens to be in her orbit. Her sharpness in numbers such as “Here I Am” or even the enjoyable duet “Love is My Legs” where she coaxes the greatness of Freddy’s will, is a key cog in moving the storyline forward.
The side-plot is sweet in the story, with Lawrence’s “bodyguard” Andre (Lawrence-Michael C. Arias) offering up good counsel to his boss, and falling for socialite Muriel Eubanks (Adrienne Herro). Each veteran performer adds some nice texture — as do the members of the ensemble — all played upon the effective scenic design implemented by Williams. Garlick, who not only handles a principal role, also contributed mightily to the production as its costume designer. And conductor Brian Allan Hobbs leads Yazbek’s tricky and varied score with his seven-piece orchestra to great effect.
A musical such as “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s no denying the production is playfully fun and riotously raucous, with solid turns from familiar South Bay performers at its core.
David John Chávez is chair of the American Theatre Critics Association and a two-time juror for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (‘22-‘23); @davidjchavez.
‘DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS’
Book by Jeffrey Lane, music and lyrics by David Yazbek, presented by San Jose Stage Company
Through: June 30
Where: San Jose Stage, 490 S.1st St., San Jose
Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes with an intermission
Tickets: $43-$62; www.thestage.org
