Sometimes the best medicine isn’t a deep drama or a life-changing revelation. Sometimes it’s two conmen, a string of outrageous schemes and a theatre full of people laughing together.

With Dirty Rotten Scoundrels heading to Riverside Theatres following a sold-out Hayes Theatre Co season, I recently caught up with director Rebecca McNamee to discuss her vision for this much-loved musical, the emotional truths that sit beneath its razor-sharp humour, and why the things that make us laugh often aren’t so far removed from the things that make us cry.

Promising Western Sydney audiences a delicious mix of glamour, mischief and laugh-out-loud comedy, Massey shared why a little collective joy, a cast operating at the top of their game, and why some of musical theatre’s finest comic performers might be exactly what we need right now.

So without further ado, here’s Faith’s Top 5 with director Rebecca McNamee. Let’s get swindling!

Q1. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels has delighted audiences for decades with its mix of elegance, deception and razor-sharp humour. What drew you to this musical, and what made it the right show to bring to audiences in 2026?

I felt there’s a lot going on in the world at the moment, and right now I just felt we needed a comedy. We needed something we could really laugh at. Something fun but sophisticated, silly but joyful. When I was looking at what shows to bring to Hayes, I wanted that belly-ache laugh that only certain shows can deliver, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels absolutely delivers on that.

I’m a big fan of the 1988 film. I watched it as a kid and loved how funny, and irreverent it was. Australians love a larrikin. We don’t mind seeing the inappropriate person get a win every now and then. But what I love about this show is that while it feels like the scoundrels might get away with everything, there’s also a fair bit of comeuppance, which is incredibly satisfying.

It’s the middle of winter, it’s dark, and it’s nice to be able to walk into a theatre and have a shared experience of real joy and laughter. We don’t get that as much anymore because so much entertainment is consumed at home. Theatre gives us that collective experience. Sitting in a room with hundreds of people all laughing together is a really special feeling, and I wanted to make sure Sydney audiences had that option.

Q2. From performer to producer to director, you’ve seen theatre from every angle. How have your experiences and training at NIDA and Chicago’s Second City shaped your approach to directing the humour and comic chemistry at the heart of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?

I’m a very actor-centric director. I firmly believe in the skills actors bring to the stage and I think it’s important to tap into that knowledge and experience.  Comedy needs to be treated with the same respect and process that we apply to drama because, at the end of the day, it’s still storytelling. If the story is neglected for the sake of a gag, audiences won’t be as invested. We want them emotionally engaged. We want them to care about the characters, whether they’re heroes or antiheroes. 

I was a comedic performer growing up and trained at Second City in Chicago, where many of the great comedy performers developed their craft. (including Steve Martin!) At NIDA, I learned the craft of storytelling and directing. For me, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels became about bringing those two worlds together. 

One of the most exciting discoveries we made was realising that Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is actually a bromance. At its heart, it’s about Lawrence and Freddy needing companionship. Once we understood that relationship, everything else fell into place.  The emotional stakes for these two men are actually stem from their loneliness. That may sound dramatic, but strong comedy is always built on genuine emotion.

Q3. At the heart of the show is the delicious rivalry between Lawrence Jamieson and Freddy Benson. What qualities did Blake Erickson and Rowan Witt bring to these iconic roles, and how has their chemistry shaped the production?

They really are the heart and soul of this show.

Blake Erickson was my first choice for Lawrence. He is one of the most talented performers I’ve ever worked with. He has extraordinary comic timing, but he also brings emotional depth and gravitas to the role. Lawrence anchors the entire production, and Blake has the ability to move seamlessly between sincerity, farce and deception.

In contrast, Rowan Witt is genuinely one of the funniest performers on Australian stages. Audiences know him from productions like Hamilton and The Book of Mormon, and he has an exceptional understanding of physical comedy and comic timing.

Together, they’ve created a wonderful dynamic. Blake’s Lawrence is refined, controlled and grounded, while Rowan’s Freddy is chaotic, playful and unpredictable. What makes their chemistry so compelling is that, underneath all the rivalry, both characters are searching for the same thing. As the story unfolds, they gradually find friendship in each other, and that’s where the real heart of the show lies.

 Q4. While Lawrence and Freddy dominate the action, characters such as Christine Colgate and Jolene Oaks often prove to be the smartest people in the room. How have Kristina McNamara and Scarlet Lindsay helped redefine these characters for contemporary audiences?

I should also mention Aurélie Roque, who plays Muriel. She’s an absolute superstar and someone audiences are going to hear a lot more about. One of the central ideas we explored in this production is power. The question we ask audiences to consider is this: are these women really being conned, or are they simply using their resources to get what they want?

There’s a significant shift in power as the story unfolds. Without giving away spoilers, I think audiences will discover that the women are far more active and influential than they may initially appear. All three women make strong choices about the lives they want to lead.

Q5. After delighting audiences in the intimate surrounds of Hayes Theatre Co, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is heading to Riverside Theatres. What opportunities does the larger stage offer, and what are you most excited for Western Sydney audiences to discover?

The most exciting aspect is the opportunity to let the piece breathe. This is actually quite a large show for Hayes. We have eleven performers on stage and a six-piece band. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a big Broadway musical, and Riverside allows the choreography, the design and the scale of the production to grow.

The biggest challenge is the turnaround. We close at Hayes on Sunday and begin moving into Riverside almost immediately. Touring a production is always demanding, but we’re fortunate to be working with an exceptional team. Sometimes it’s when you’re working right at the edge of what’s possible that you discover the most creative solutions, and that’s part of the excitement of theatre.

Bonus Question: What’s one question you were secretly hoping I’d ask, and what’s your answer? 

I wish you’d asked more about Kristina McNamara. 

Kristina has appeared in so many productions over the last decade, but this really feels like her moment. She’s one of the most versatile performers in the industry. She can sing, dance and act at an incredibly high level, and she’s also hilarious. 

Because she’s so talented, she’s often been cast as a cover or swing, stepping into countless roles and supporting productions behind the scenes. But when she came into the room for this production, I knew she  needed to be our leading lady. 

I wanted to make sure she had the opportunity to shine because she has absolutely earned it. 

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opens at The Parramatta Riverside Theatre 25 – 28 June 2026

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