The Full Monty

THE FULL MONTY

Mon 8 – Sat 13 Dec

Eves 7.45pm

Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm

By Simon Beaufoy

In 1997, a British film about six out-of-work Sheffield steelworkers with nothing to lose took the world by storm, becoming one of the most successful British films ever made. Now the boys are back: except this time, they really have to go The Full Monty live on stage in Brighton.

Simon Beaufoy, the Oscar winning writer of the film, has gone all the way with this hilarious and heartfelt adaptation that’s getting standing ovations in theatres round the country every night.

The production also features the iconic songs from the film by Donna Summer, Hot Chocolate and Tom Jones.

The all star cast includes GARY LUCY (EastEnders, winner of Dancing on Ice, Footballer’s Wives, The Bill); ANDREW DUNN (best known as Tony in Dinnerladies as well for his regular appearances playing Alistair Campbell on Bremner, Bird and Fortune; LOUIS EMERICK (Mick Johnson in Brookside and PC Walsh in Last of the Summer Wine, a role he has played, on and off, for over 20 years); MARTIN MILLER (recent credits include Hitchcock in the New York production of The Lovesong of Alfred J Hitchcock); BOBBY SCHOFIELD, one of the most exciting young actors around, who makes his stage debut and RUPERT HILL (Jamie Baldwin in Coronation Street).

This new production is directed by award winning director Roger Haines. His recent credits include the world premiere of the musical The Go-Between which won the UK Theatre Awards Best Musical Award and the national tour of Calendar Girls.

Review:-

The show opened to a house packed with women hoping to be thrilled. Although very much a girls’ night out, there were some males present too.

The stage was very realistic of a broken down 1980’s industrial north and set in Sheffield. The first half was great having the audience on the edge of their seats as Gaz (Gary Lucy) struggled being a dad to his son whilst trying to make ends meet  by stealing iron girders from derelict factories. Aided by his mate Dave (Martin Miller) we have a few heart stopping moments as the lads grapple in mid air.

The wives and sweethearts including Jean (Liz Carney) and  Lynda (Kate Wood) added a touch of realism cheering a performance of a male stripper act at their local social club which leads the men to plan to go one better-The Full Monty.

The first half ended with a sense of thrill and excitement with expectation of what was to come. The second half was over long. The mostly female audience was there for excitement rather than to sit through a social history of Thatcher era northern Britain.

Every time the music played and one of the cast did a saucy dance the theatre buzzed with expectation- only for it to stop, and we have to sit through yet another scene of classroom history or emotional angst. The clapping and cheering was deafening in the final scene but it took a long time coming.

Designer Robert Jones and stage manager Alex Adamson have done really brilliant jobs on the set. At the interval producer Dafydd Rodgers took the time to explain how the set had been specially adapted to fit. They had done a truly excellent job.

The greatest applause was given to Gaz’s son Nathan played by Raif Clarke and the biggest cheers to gay Guy (Rupert Hill).

www.atgtickets.com/brighton*

0844 871 7650*

(booking fee applies)