Synopsis
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (based on the movie of the same name) is a musical comedy set on the French Riviera, where two con men – cultured charmer Lawrence Jameson and small-time hustler Freddy Benson – compete to swindle wealthy women. Their rivalry leads to an outrageous bet to see who can con an heiress out of $50,000 first, sparking a series of clever schemes, mistaken identities, and comic twists. Filled with jazzy, sophisticated songs by David Yazbek and a book by Jeffrey Lane, the show delivers a blend of glamour, farce, and sharp humour in a spirited battle of wits.
Playbill’s My Life in the Theatre
On 2 December 2025 Playbill released an interview with Brian on Youtube under their My Life in the Theatre playlist. Below is a transcript from the video about his time with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – you can watch it here.
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is so, so, important to me because – well, first of all, it should be noted that no one could touch Norbert Leo Butts, what he did with that role. I mean, no one could touch it. I didn’t even try to imagine that I could. But, being in a show where I got to do comedy, uh, was something that that meant a great deal with me because comedy is something that I love. I love it. And I’ve had some opportunities, but not like that.
That show by David Yazbek and directed by Jack O’Brien, who, Saginaw – you’re going to hear that word a lot in this, in this session we’re having here – but Jack O’Brien’s from Saginaw, Michigan. He directed this production, and I came into it after Norbert left, and John Lithgow left. Keith Carradine and I did it together, we had the partnership of creating these parts in a, it’s always a unique situation when you’re coming into a show, because you have to honour what’s there and keep that afloat, but also try to find things that are naturally yours. If you have a good director, if you have a good stage manager, they’re usually the ones in charge of kind of making all that happen and the director will come in and kind of put the finishing touches on it. But if you’re allowed to have some autonomy there and stay within the lines, but kind of create a new life, that is the best scenario. And I imagine it happens. And I imagine it doesn’t happen too, in terms of like what you’re allowed to do. I was lucky in that. I was given kind of a, some wide, wide range to kind of figure out that role.
But just the unadulterated fun this show was. Oh my god. I would I would love… I would love to do something like that again. I mean, it was just, it was just so much fun.”