The Full Monty

This was a wonderful production showing how the poverty and despair of steel factory closures affected communities and individuals. The soulless background of a derelict factory with redundant machinery set the situation for a pair of workers focussed on stealing part of an old girder in order to sell it for scrap. Although bleak, their inept entry and the badinage between them provided loads of laughs. The main role of Gaz was well characterised by Chris Cotter as as a man feeling all the failure of being without a job, coping with a broken marriage and trying to maintain his relationship with his son. He presented at first as feisty and upbeat but was nearly broken by events. He delivered his lines with skill and excellent timing and never missed a beat. The poignant and moving scenes with his wife and son were well contrasted with the humour - not to mention the shock - of the auditions for the money raising striptease event. As wife Jean, Candice Sullivan was authoritative, practical and supportive for her son Nathan but excoriating for Gaz. Meanwhile Leon Patel as Nathan showed how difficult life was for him torn between his mum and dad yet in his own practical way was a well needed emotional and, in the end, financial support for his dad. As Gaz’s best friend Dave, Gareth Branigan fed in loads of comic moments with his sardonic view of life and of his own body and brought his own pathos to bear with his memories of working the machine. Indeed the camaraderie of all the men who had their own demons to fight was clear, and they came together for the common purpose of the show, all gelling together: the friendship of Gerald, Stephen Clark; the doubts of Lomper; the goals and demeanour of Horse, Brian Robertson; the timings of Guy, Stephen Segaud and the startling and amazing auditions of all the men which moulded them together. This all underlined the contrast with the harshness of management like Nic Brown’s role as Brian. The women were all strong in their characterisations but it was the men who owned the stage. Their dialogue and repartee came thick and fast, natural and believable, delighting the audience. The lead up to the denouement was tense and moving and the ending itself, tastefully done - but not overly polished - brought the house down. These were ordinary men. Pathos and humour side by side with a production team who understood them brought success. This was a production to be proud of and to remember.

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