Review: ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ is hilarious summer season enjoyable on Chemainus stage

Review: ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ is hilarious summer season enjoyable on Chemainus stage

Published 4:52 pm Saturday, June 13, 2026

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels had the viewers roaring with laughter on opening evening, Friday, June 12 on the Chemainus Theatre Festival.

Written by Jeffrey Lane, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek, this story of two rival con artists who enter right into a wager to defraud a younger American girl who’s visiting the French Riviera is humorous, participating, and filled with twists and turns that may go away you guffawing.

The script is intelligent, cheeky, and light-hearted, whereas the music is enjoyable and frothy and the dance numbers spectacular. And it’s all delivered with aplomb by a vastly gifted solid.

Jeff Madden performs Lawrence Jameson, a longtime and charming swindler whose philosophy is “give them what they want”. This interprets into Jameson pretending to be a down-on-his-luck prince in want of the kindness (and cash) from rich, bored ladies for whom he supplies thriller, pleasure and a bit of romance.

He’s aided by native police chief Andre Thibault (Raugi Yu), for a reduce of the motion, in fact.

Jameson meets small-time grifter Freddy Benson, performed by Kevin McLachlan, on a prepare, and watches whereas Freddy cons lunch and $20 from a younger girl. Freddy then makes an attempt to con Jameson, who simply turns the tables.

When Freddy realizes he’s been had, he goes to Jameson and asks to be his apprentice, so Jameson can train him understand his dream of huge sums of wealth to purchase “great big stuff”.

Madden is great because the slick Jameson, a thrill-seeker for whom issues have develop into a bit of too straightforward. He brings simply the correct air of sophistication to the position, in addition to letting the viewers see the rogue who relishes the sport. His comedic timing is impeccable and his facial expressions and gleam in his eye good for the position.

McLachlan embodies the rough-around-the-edges, road robust. What he lacks in savoir faire he makes up for in crafty. He additionally has an important singing voice that simply delivers the musical numbers.

No overview of the present could be full with out point out of the supremely gifted Synthia Yusuf as Christine Colgate, Freddy and Jameson’s mark. A wonderful dancer, nice singer and glorious actor, Yusuf is a real triple risk.

It’s straightforward to see how she has even the 2 cynical con males questioning their plans, as she is charming and awkward in an endearing manner. She appears by turns glamorous and right down to earth, exuding a type of naive vulnerability — interesting to each males — and the proper girl to throw them off their stride.

Yusuf has an important vocal vary to carry the excessive notes to her musical numbers.

Two different supporting stars deserve a point out. Seana-Lee Wood as one in every of Jameson’s former marks provides a stunning, nuanced efficiency, and Danica Kobayashi as Jolene, one other one in every of Jameson’s targets who seems to be much more than he bargained for, is straight up hilarious as a spoiled, crude American.

The ensemble consists of Jennifer Lynch, Matt Montgomery, Tia Ferlizza, Stephen Thakkar, Niah Davis, Dustyn Forbes, Sean Baker and Marija Danyluk. All are gifted dancers and singers who’re very important to creating the ambiance and sense of scale for this manufacturing. Choreographer Makayla Moore has performed a masterful job of delivering power, glamour and storytelling within the musical numbers.

Director Naomi Costain has brilliantly introduced this script to life. It’s fast-paced, with simply the correct notes of reflection, gentle and enjoyable for a summer season day, however not empty energy.

Against all odds, the viewers comes away liking these ne’er-do-wells, a testomony each to Costain and the actors. You’ll additionally find yourself buzzing a couple of of the tunes.

Opening evening was fairly packed and it’s a good wager that they’ll rave to their buddies. It’s additionally the type of present you possibly can see greater than as soon as, so get these tickets quickly. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is on till Aug. 23.