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Act One

The scene is set in a lavish casino in the French Riviera. Several women are seeking a prince and, out of the well-dressed crowd, Lawrence Jameson appears with his French assistant, Andre. He is the supposed ‘prince� as the two men have set up a new scam to alleviate the boredom of these wealthy women, while pilfering their cash (“Give Them What They Want�). One woman in particular--Muriel Eubanks--is completely taken in by Lawrence’s deception and willingly hands over her expensive jewelry.

Following his success in the casino, Lawrence boards a train to work on his next victim. Andre warns him that there are rumors of another con artist working on their patch, known as the ‘Jackal�. Although Lawrence dismisses the rumors, he soon bumps into Freddy Benson. He observes Freddy’s humble, emotional swindling technique as he extracts $20 from the woman opposite him on the train.

Back at the casino, Muriel reflects on her encounter with the prince and her need for desire and