The ribtickling Sound'rels!

Leila Alvares is back to quench every Bengalurean’s musical craving, and this year it’s the hilarious comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Known as the city’s most articulated Broadway  musical directors, Alvares has also decided to expand the Cause Foundation’s objectives by her talented troupe of 35 members touring Mangalore, Chennai, Coorg and Goa to woo audiences there as well!

A proud nominee for 11 Tony Awards, the musical comedy is a classic treat to the eyes, and ears as well. There’s mischief mingled with sophistication as the leading con artistes Lawrence Jamieson and Freddy Benson decide to work together towards a common goal — wooing women. The twist in the tale arrives when the realisation of the little town not being large enough dawns upon the duo. Do pros out-battle the cons or is there a bigger twist in the waiting? The audience can only keep guessing till the end, as believes director Leila. “The movie came out in 1988, and in all fairness, it’s a little dated. But then you look at the script for the musical which is beyond hilarious and the jazzy music is just the right amount of delightful. All that lively dance with the fabulous acting is what makes the musical way ahead of its times!”

One of the highlights of the play is the smooth talking charms of the character Lawrence Jamieson. A ‘self-made’ man who earns his extravagant livelihood by talking ladies out of their money, this character is played by Arvind Kasthuri, who believes the character is shown to split into two. “He’s seemingly polished and charming, and in his own words, happens to have refined taste. But a more twisted, layered side to him is revealed when he portrays the Viennese doctor. The suave subtlety is more over-the-top eccentric and the transition is remarkable!”

Yet that isn’t the only twist that audiences have to look out for. As Lawrence’s more vulgar, yet humble counterpart, Freddy Benson wins women’s compassion with lies about his family’s ailments. Even though the two attempt to work together after a brief meeting, the characters couldn’t be more diametrically apart. Rahael Thomas, the actor behind Freddy believes, “He is vulgar and crude, and even though relatively new to the game, still a potential threat to Lawrence. Of course, I drew inspiration from Steve Martin’s portrayal in the movie, but I tried to balance it out with a lot of Broadway references.”

Multiple layers, unexpected character developments and plot twists later, the cast still believes that it is the background comic relief which upholds the musical together. The musical is accompanied by a live band, directed by Vivek Menzel who claims, “The best part about the musical is how they have taken the Big Band orchestra and expanded into varying genres, like country and jazz and then into subsequent sub-genres too. More than intimidating, I’d say it was an enjoyable experience.” Dances choreographed by Rhea Thomas, Alisha D’Souza and Lionel De Nazareth, this stage version of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels brings more to the plate than expected. They all happen to be crooning for The Cause.

A non-profit organisation committed to promoting local talent, the Cause Foundation was started by Alvares 20 years ago. While the profits from the shows go to charities including orphanages and animal welfare organisations, director Leila also talks about the roadblocks revolving around staging a production of this acclaim. She signs off saying, “It’s not about the finance; we bank on performances. I have been very fortunate with my cast over the years. They volunteer their time and talent and put up with me too!” 

The musical will be staged on August 26 and 27, at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, from 5.30 pm onwards. And on September 3, at MLR Convention Centre, Whitefield, 5.30 pm onwards.