THE FULL MONTY

I’m sure most of us are familiar with the film version of “The Full Monty”, however this is the first time I have seen the musical version, which is set in America (as opposed to the film which is set in Sheffield).

The story is about six guys who end up as “strippers” to earn some money.  Each of them was fantastic in their various roles and brought humour and pathos to their characters. Their American accents never slipped and their diction through dialogue and music was excellent. Well done to Mike Riley (Jerry), Jonny Tate (Dave), Rob Durkin (Harold), Matt Mills (Horse), Tim Sanderson (Malcolm) and Jamie Rogers (Ethan).

The show is about so much more than “stripping” to earn some money – it’s about friendships, relationships, love, heartache, not forgetting the lengths you would go to for your kids and all of these issues were strongly in evidence throughout the production.

Supporting the six main characters was a very strong cast and ensemble who sang and moved faultlessly and effortlessly.  The choreography was excellent.

Notable songs were Matt Mills (Horse) with his rendition of “Big Black Man” which had the audience definitely wanting “more”, and the very touching duet “You Walk With Me”, between Tim Sanderson (Malcolm) and Jamie Rogers (Ethan) during the funeral scene. 

This whole production moved at a brilliant pace with swift scene changes (all 27 of them!) that didn't intrude on the action on stage.  Clever lighting along with a brilliant set created the right mood for each scene. 

The orchestra, under the superb direction of Rosie Walsh, positioned at the back of the stage, played sympathetically and didn’t drown out the singing of the musical numbers. 

Complimented by excellent costumes, props and sound this was an excellent evenings entertainment, which certainly left the audience wanting more!
 

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