A MUSICAL based on classic '80s film comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will be staged at the Liverpool Empire next month.

Michael Praed and Noel Sullivan take on the roles played on the big screen by Sir Michael Caine and Steve Martin during the show, which runs from July 7-18.

It takes the audience back to the French Riviera and its decadent underworld, as two seasoned swindlers attempt to hoodwink a millionaire heiress, played by former Hollyoaks actress Carly Stenson.

As the pair compete in the true art of the con, they discover there is only room for one of them. Also in the cast is Mark Benton, who plays conman Andre.

Noel Sullivan - who was a member of pop band Hear'Say - is Freddie Benson, the role played by Steve Martin on screen.

During a press launch for the Empire Theatre run this afternoon, he said: "Michael and I have both played Liverpool before and are looking forward to coming back."

"I think what people who haven't seen the film won't appreciate is how funny it is.

"When it starts, there's a lot of information to take in within the first 15 minutes, but once the comedy starts, the audience gets swept along with it."

Michael Praed - who played Robin Hood in '80s TV series Robin Of Sherwood - plays the Michael Caine character Lawrence Jamieson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

He said: "Of all the stage shows I've done, I think it's fair comment that this one, by a country mile, has been the best received and had the greatest audience response."

The show opened in the West End in March this year to rave reviews and packed houses.

Noel was part of Hear'Say, a band created on ITV's Popstars in 2001. The group also featured Myleene Klass, Suzanne Shaw and Danny Foster had two singles and an album which sold more than a million copies, before splitting up.

The show is directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winning Jerry Mitchell and has music and lyrics by Drama Desk Award winner David Yazbek.

Tickets are from the Liverpool Empire box office on 0844 871 3017 or www.atgtickets.com/liverpool