Money- it’s a dirty word. At least it is if you’re working two jobs, the rent keeps climbing, and life feels like a rigged game. That’s the mood set by the ensemble in the punchy opener “Stacked Against Us”, before the story zeroes in on Luke, whose grand dream of a floating bar on a “museum quality” canal boat has, quite literally, sunk. His failed Kickstarter leaves him £210 million in debt to a man with all the charm and menace of iconic villain Hans Gruber on a particularly bad day.
Enter Venetia Byron, a billionaire and terrible human being with a rap sheet longer than her business portfolio. Convicted of tax evasion, insider trading and even charging an island to expenses, she’s shameless, unrepentant and hell-bent on rebuilding her empire. All she needs is someone to break her out of prison in exchange for half her fortune, and Luke, desperate and cornered, sees an opening. Cue a classic heist setup: a ragtag crew of mechanics, a cyber geek, and a high-stakes jailbreak with everything to gain - if everyone’s being honest.
Dirty Money barrels along with a slick, fast-paced energy. The characters are broad “types”, almost cartoon-like, but the committed cast keep them engaging, and the timing of songs shows a sharp instinct for pacing - Luke’s wry announcement that he will sing now arriving just when the score needs a lift. The numbers themselves are lively and tuneful, with solid ensemble harmonies bolstered by a tight six-piece band hidden from view, giving the production a pleasing musical punch throughout.
This is knockabout fun, less interested in gritty realism than in serving up a playful spin on the heist caper, dressed in bright musical theatre colours.
A heist musical that may be crooked but has enough charm to get away with it.
Show Times: 18 to 23 August 2025 at 3.35pm.
Tickets: £12.50 (£10).
Suitability: 12+ (Note Show contains scenes of violence, strong language / swearing).