Actresses shines bright in 'Scoundrels'
WEST VALLEY — With its clever lyrics set to energetic music, paired with witty repartee, “Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels” is a richly funny musical.
The story of two conniving Lotharios, “Scoundrels” relies heavily on the two actors to carry the show as they compete for exclusive rights to swindle wealthy women. But it is the actresses playing French Riviera vistors who shine the brightest at the Hale Centre staging in the Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday cast reviewed here.
As the unwitting mark of a $50,000 bet, the naive Christine is played to perfection by Delaney Westfall, who bursts on stage in “Here I Am.” She has a lovely singing voice and radiates likability, especially when she out-cons the con artists to show that more than two can play their game. Debra Weed also scores highly as the deliciously tacky oil heiress Jolene in the Rogers and Hammerstein send up, “Oklahoma?” — where there’s “a racetrack and a zoo / and Oral Roberts U.”
Elizabeth Summerhays is luminous and daffy as the world-traveling Muriel in a sidestory romance with the town’s complicit police chief, capably played by Jeffrey Whitlock. Their “Like Zis, Like Zat” is a comic showpiece and adds much to the second act.
Each of these actors clearly revels in playing the roles and with the razor-sharp dancers offers colorful musical sequences under David Tinney’s skilled direction and choreography. But Tinney also performs lead character Lawrence, and it is his joyless portrayal of the aging lady-killer where the show stumbles. He is not suitably supported by the auto-piloted Darick J. Pead as the upstart Freddy.
It’s clear the actors have strong abilities, although here it appears the duo is just passing time while waiting for the musical’s broad slapstick gags. As a result, the other punch lines that need to be delivered in a precise comedic way only get laughs 60 percent of the time.
“Scoundrels” calls for the actors to pose as alternate characters, and in these roles they are appealing. Tinney satisfies when he sadistically impersonates an Austrian doctor and Pead is funny pretending to be a dimwitted brother in “All About Ruprecht.” But otherwise, they are underwhelming. Tinney’s “Give Them What They Want” doesn’t give the audience a compelling opening number, let alone “an escape from the ennui,” and Pead’s “Great Big Stuff” is no great big showstopper. Tinney is too bland and Pead too tepid.
Partly to blame is the slightly altered script to make the show more wholesome and universally palatable. (You’ll need to listen to the cast recording to know what Ruprecht stores in a Mason jar.) A sanitized “Scoundrels” leaves the actors with less to work with and the plays loses a portion of its wickedly comic edge.
Yet Hale’s “Scoundrels” retains enough comic outrageousness to bring playgoers a pleasant smile after the entertaining affair.
“Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels,” Hale Centre Theatre, through July 23, 801-984-9000 or halecentretheatre.org
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