DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS -- What drives the show?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 10:45pm

What, in your opinion, drives DRS--the plotline? the score? performances? scenic elements? the literateness of the book?--and why?
Updated On: 5/19/05 at 10:45 PM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 10:51pm

The score is just tons of fun.

The performances are wild and crazy - in a good way.

The chemistry among everyone is great!

The plot has some fun twists in it.

The comedy is pure, well, comedy!

[ShuQ]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 10:52pm

Everyone in the show is nothing but stunning. There isn't a single moment that drags and every single minute is entertaining.

Is that thread title supposed to be some kind of pun that I'm not getting or is it a typo?

LOVE the icon Thernardier

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 10:57pm

It was a typo.

My assistant is off tonight.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 11:36pm

The performances are close to flawless and can make even the weaker aspects of the material engaging. The score is deceptively brilliant and the book has a great mixture of arch over the top antics and sophisticated humor.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 12:26am

It's a damn good show, period. Can you say TONY?

[Plum]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 12:31am

I think the strongest element is the cast- the material is very good, but not quite great.

[Theatreboy33]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 1:39am

Casting. Completely agree with plum. Once these leads leave, the weaknesses in this show will become apparent. Still a hillarious show though.

[feinstein9]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 4:16am

what makes the score brilliant to you? i found it kind of lackluster, especially compared to david's "full monty" score. there were some great numbers, sure, but it didn't really do anything to further the plot or the emotions of the characters, ala Forum (though forum's score in infinitly better and i in no way mean to compare their quality, only their purpose). which isn't to say that i don't like either of the shows, quite the contrary, i just don't feel like the music is as good as it could be or should be. some cute lyrics, great jokes... but is brilliant really the right word?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 7:07am

Anyone else have some thoughts to share on this topic?

[ButtonstheClown]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 7:11am

Scott and Butz.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 7:11am

The leads don't really have to leave for the show's weaknesses to become apparent. I have the OCR and it really doesn't translate. Songs that I thought kicked ass when I saw it live are flat and boring on the CD. In my opinion, what drives the show is the tour de force performance that Norbert Leo Butz is giving.

[broadway betty]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 9:01am

Butz and Yazbek

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 9:19am

Updated On: 5/27/05 at 09:19 AM

[dano]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 10:12am

I have not seen the show. I just heard the CD, and absolutely love it. It REALLY makes me want to see the show. My question is: Is the show itself (book,etc.) as good as the CD? From the comments I've read here so far, it sounds like it is.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 10:21am

feinstein9: Precisly why I said, "deceptively brilliant" The score gives insight into the motivations and helps build the character and in the end the entire show is mainly about character development, but it is not intended to develop deep characters, but very funny offbeat characters.It may not always farther the plot but the emotions and motivations of the characters come through in every song, their motivations are not noble though. The score captures the mood of the show perfectly, it meshes entirely with what is happening onstage and makes all. None of which is to say I think it one of the best scores of all time, simply that the way the simple score fits the show is brilliant.

I do agree with everyone that said the show is likely to lose a great deal with casting changes, many of the jokes need such impeccable deliver to work that it could wind up being a bit of a mess if they do not recast perfectly.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 10:40am

I found the cd laugh-out-loud funny! All About Ruprecht and the hilarious duet had people giving me funny looks when I collapsed in delight, (nearly).

[freelancer]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 10:47am

Norbert

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 10:52am

Both a great creative team AND cast can drive a show for years!

[Plum]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 12:09pm

"All About Ruprecht" is all about the visual jokes, devonian. Wait until you see it. :)

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 12:38pm

feintstein - it's funny. When I left DRS I loved it but thought the same thing, Full Monty has a better score. Thinking more about it, the emotion in Full Monty is not in DRS. There aren't the father/son, fat man/wife, son/mother and gay love stories that are in TFM.

I suppose DRS is just comedy, whereas TFM is comedy AND emotional.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 12:41pm

Thenardier, precisely why I think the score is perfect for this show, an attempt at emotional connection would be entirely out of place.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 2:02pm

Everything !!! From the performances, to the sets.... to the score... and the Butz !!!

[Plum]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 2:07pm

Smartpenguin- I think my problem with the material is that it leaned a bit too much towards silliness. I realize this is a comedy, but in a show about con men I expected something a little more slick and less clownish.

[feinstein9]

Posted: 5/20/05 at 2:08pm

yes, it would have been and it is- when john lithgow sings his 11 o'clock number about love sneaking in, it's completly out of the blue. as far as the full monty comparison goes, i think heart and music make a song (thanks mr finn!), and while i understand that DRS is just an out-and-out comedy, for me at least, there needs to be something more there, some kind of depth. that's why i loved full monty- it was halarious and touching, and also just better muscianship on yazbeck's part (but he's only 7 so i guess it's okay). i did not miss your specification of it being "deceptively" brilliant, and thus, i'm still inclined to disagree. i don't particularly see where there the deception lies... even on close examination, i can't quite see where these hidden motivations and plot advances are. it seems really blatant and on the table- much like the rest of the show, it doesn't want to be taken too seriously. maybe i just need to look at it from a different perspective, and i welcome any guidence you can give in that direction.