Summer has started early at Austin Playhouse, as the company brings Austin audiences to the shores of the French Riviera for their latest production, a hilarious, if limited, rendition of David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Bringing in some of the Austin’s top musical talents, director Lara Toner Haddock and musical director Lyn Koenning present us with the story of a pair of con men trying to win the heart (and money) of a rich socialite, all the while coming up with zanier and zanier schemes to keep their fellow criminal off their tail. It’s an absolutely hilarious time, with each performer bringing them absolute A-Game comedically, but one wonders how this would play with a little more room to play.
Much of the success of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels lies on the shoulders of its lead, the con-man Lawrence Jameson, and luckily they have Scott Shipman to count on. Sliding easily into the shoes of the charismatic chameleon, Shipman demands your attention whenever he’s on stage, whether Lawrence is “playing” a flustered foreign dignitary fighting to regain his land, or a flamboyant European doctor trying to get one over on his fellow con-man. Despite all this frivolous fancy, however, Shipman shows off the element for which I most admire him as a performer: his earnestness. No matter what role he tackles, Shipman always brings a sense of grounded truth the role, shining through no matter how much outward artifice is piled on, making him an oddly perfect choice for con-man Jameson. Though on paper it may seem that Jameson is nothing but a crooked cheat who gets by on his wiles and wits, at heart the character is searching for something deeper, and Shipman’s talent for bringing out that sensitivity while never losing the fun is a real testament to the depths of Shipman’s talents.
It’s always a delight to see an actor you are more familiar with in serious roles flip the script, and here, Andrew Cannata, an actor who has continuously broken my heart in productions like Little Shop of Horror, The Last Five Years, and Next to Normal, gets to show off his comedic talents, which are quite formidable, as fledgling con-man Freddy Benson. Playing wildly to the back fences with an almost Beetlejuice-esce level of camp and vivacity, Cannata explodes every scene he’s in, playing perfectly against Shipman’s more subdued, suave demeanor. His unbridled scene where he “plays” Lawrence’s weird brother is of particular note, as in the wrong hands it could turn wildly offensive (even as it sits, it straddles the line), but one can’t help but guffaw as Cannata throws shame to the wind and gives one of the most unabashed performance I’ve seen in some time. Cannata also brings the pipes, as expected, continuing to mark his place as one of the most premiere musical performers the city has to offer.
Huck Huckaby is one of those stalwart performers who does continuously amazing work throughout his career, popping up in production after production while never quite getting the attention his deserves, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels shows off his skills quite well. Carrying himself with a easy charm and grace, Huckaby glides through scenes like a classic song-and-dance man, creating an instant connection with his frequent scene partner, and fellow scene-stealer, Jennifer Jennings. Together they create some of the funniest sequences in the piece, with Jennings bringing her perfectly polished comedic timing to the Austin Playhouse stage for the first time, with stunning results.
I am loathe to say that a performer like Sarah Fleming Walker would be the weak link of any production, but I think in this case it may be a simple case of miscasting. There’s absolutely no denying Fleming Walker is a talent, with a skill for finding the shape of a tune that’s almost unmatched in the city, but here she doesn’t quite seem to fit the dainty, soft-hearted ingénue Christine Colgate, and she can struggle to reach the belts required for the role, though one wonders if the performance space may have something to do with that. Still, Fleming Walker gives her all to the role, carrying herself with a delicacy and kindness that’s incredibly endearing, while also handling the third-act twist with aplomb (in fact, without spoiling too much, she really comes into her own after said twist, creating a rousing ending number with Cannata and Shipman).
As with most of Austin Playhouse’s more elaborate productions, we run into the problem of venue, with their small stage limiting exactly what they can pull off production-wise, but at the end of the day, I would much rather a company buck against the boundaries than never test the membrane at all, especially when the company brings in such talent. One day soon, one hopes, Austin Playhouse will have a space to call their own, where they can create the marvels to which they aspire. Until then, we have to admire their dedication to creating such spectacles, despite their limitations.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is playing through May 11th at Austin Playhouse. For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit austinplayhouse.com.
Photos courtesy of Steve Rogers Photography.
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