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After seeing Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the State Theatre last night I am surprised that the original Broadway Production was nominated for 10 Tony awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score. The songs aren’t all that catchy, and they try too hard to be funny (excepting ‘Love Is My Legs,’ which is actually genuinely funny). The real gem is the book by Jeffrey Lane which delivers laugh after laugh. But perhaps it is the rather lacklustre production from the Production Company that has me in such a state of disbelief.

I am going to say what I always say about shows done by The Production Company. They are under rehearsed and under budgeted. The budget thing doesn’t worry me so much, but the under rehearsed thing drives me mental.

Some shows pull through better than others, but unfortunately their latest offering, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is one instance where much is left to be desired.

The Production Company is meant to be a showcase of professional musical theatre in Melbourne, but their shows always come across as something done by really good amateurs.

The tight two week rehearsal period always shows; there is always one ensemble member slightly behind the rest of the group, and specifically in the case of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the musical numbers in Act 2 were particularly under-staged.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a choreographers dream. There are plenty of big production numbers including some crazy bootscootin’. Unfortunately the choreography provided by Dana Jolly is repetitive and unimaginative. Only the tableau at the end of ‘Great Big Stuff’ is truly effective.

Performance wise it is a bit of a mixed bag.

Bille Brown does not convince as the smooth and sexy Laurence Jameson. A too tight white tuxedo jacket in the opening number certainly does him not favours. Not for a moment do you believe that these women would fawn all over him and willingly surrender thousands of dollars and jewels to him. I confess I have been a fan of Matt Hetherington since I saw him in Chapel of Chapel’s The Last 5 Years in 2006. However here he seems to be doing his best Norbert Leo Butz impression, rather than inhabiting the character. In all fairness he is fearless. His turn as Laurence’s invalid brother Ruprecht is one of the highlights of the night.

Less than impressive however is Amy Lehpamer. I don’t know who thought it was okay to cast someone in a musical that cannot act or dance. She seemed completely lost onstage. Her excessive arm movements reeked of amateur theatre, and forcing her belt meant her pitch wavered on the sustained notes, particularly in her big number ‘Here I Am.’

While Matt Hetherington, Bille Brown and Amy Lehpamer are flailing around the aforementioned under-staged act 2, the show is held together by the comedic stylings of Marina Prior and Grant Piro. However it is Chelsea Plumley, in what is really an extended cameo as a wealthy oil heiress from Oklahoma, who is the stand out.

The costumes were, well let’s be honest, hideous. The dresses looked like they were made from left over fabric, not constructed specifically for the show. To match the dresses were equally hideous wigs in various shades of bubblegum pink, lavender and spearmint green. Maybe they spent the entire budget on the chandeliers and six half grown palm trees that were manoeuvred around the stage by the ensemble.

My final rant: I really don’t understand why The Production Company insist on having the Orchestra onstage. If they were at the back of the stage, perhaps I could understand. But positioning them downstage right means the actually performance space is an awkward shape for the cast (and set) to manipulate.

Should I see it?

Don’t Bother. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a Dirty Rotten disappointment.

A show all about wealth and sophistication comes across as cheap and tacky.