THE sun is shining on the French Riviera, just the tonic for an audience stepping in from a cold and blustery Southampton.

This spirit, glow and colour continues throughout Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, a comedy musical channelling a bygone era with all the warmth of a summer’s day in Beaumont-Sur-Mer.

Central to this is the onstage chemistry between our leads, two seasoned swindlers attempting to hoodwink a millionaire heiress.

Michael Praed as Lawrence and Noel Sullivan as Freddy both look like they are having the time of their lives onstage – and it’s infectious.

The entire cast of the show, based on the 1988 film starring Sir Michael Caine and Steve Martin, gel fantastically well, indulge in lots of fun ad libs and are generally even more badly behaved than earlier in the run in this, the last week of the tour.

Carley Stenson is delicious turned duplicitous with a superb voice as Christine. Mark Benton, who is dropping back into the show for a short stint direct from As You Like It at the National Theatre with full Touchstone beard, is a scene stealer as crooked police officer Andre who falls head over heels for wealthy tourist Murield Eubanks (a delightful Geraldine Fitzgerald.) The songs are catchy yet forgettable, made a lot more enjoyable by the enthusiasm of a fantastic composer and live orchestra. The costumes and sets transport you immediately to summer in Europe.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is highly entertaining. There is nothing cutting edge here, quite simply an evening of escapist fun.

It's a great shame audiences haven't lapped it up with the same enthusiasm as a round of cocktails in the South of France. It deserves it.

LORELEI REDDIN Dirty Rotten Scoundrels runs until Saturday.

Tickets: 023 8071 1811 or visit mayflower.org.uk