THE FULL MONTY.
London
THE FULL MONTY
by Terrence McNally and David Yazbek
Prince of Wales Theatre
Runs 3hr 5min One interval
TICKETS 020 7839 5972
Review Timothy Ramsden 13 March 2002
Moving from big-screen to big-stage ends up with a Monty that's noticeably less full.The Full Monty started as a film about unemployed steel-makers turned male-strippers out of economic desperation. Part of the humour came from the idea of these heavy-industry macho lads taking to dance and asset-stripping themselves. There was cruelty in their self-exploitation, flesh becoming as much a commodity as metal. Market-place success means offering more than the competitors: it means putting the goods on full-frontal show.
The story's not only been transported from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to Buffalo. It's become a piece about male strippers and excited female spectators. Given the soprano-shrieks among the Prince of Wales audience whenever an item of male clothing looked set to be prised from its place, there's an enthusiastic market for this. But the unemployment issue has dwindled to a matter of male economic impotence in the face of female executive success.
The new Monty is fleshed out with storyline cliches. There's a tug-of-love over a well-acted, resourceful boy, caught between wayward good-guy dad, and mom with her steady new, boring partner. But the lad's not being manipulated half so much as we are through his chipper presence.
Every musical needs its inspirational moment. This one comes at the graveside. It follows a nice comic touch as the Montymen tread their routine to a funeral hymn. Teddy, bereaved of his nagging mother, finds an end to aloneness literally from across the grave when fellow-hoofer Ethan expresses his love. As the music swells the two clasp hands decisively. It's moving. It's liberal. It's exploitative. And, having performed its feelgood function, it's never heard of again.
Emotional falsities apart, this Monty does its showbiz best. It's mucky, brassy and replicates several of the film's comic highlights. The performances are well-up to West End musical standards, with a fine dance display and comic sense from Andre de Shields' old-timer on the hoof. Dora Bryan's pop-up accompanist is well up to the standards of Dora Bryan. The CD receives hefty interval marketing though, pzazz-packed as it is, there's little to distinguish the score. Still, with production values heaping up around, the end is suitably climactic.
Georgie Bukatinsky: Gina Murray
Buddy 'Keno' Walsh: Julian Essex-Spurrier
Reg Willoughby: Andrew Brooke
Jerry Lukowski: Jarrod Emick
Dave Bukatinsky: John Ellison Conlee
Malcolm MacGregor: Jason Danieley
Ethan Girard: Romain Fruge
Nathan Lukowski: Rory Copus/Alexander Green/Matthew Protheroe
Susan Hershey: Donna Steele
Joanie Liush: Jacqui Dubois
Estelle Genovese: Tara Wilkinson
Pam Lukowski: Julie-Alanah Brighten
Teddy Slaughter: Andy Mace
Molly MacGregor: Tricia Deighton
Harold Nichols: Marcus Neville
Vicki Nicholls: Rebecca Thornhill
Jeanette Burmeister: Dora Bryan
Noah 'Horse' T. Simmons: Andre de Shields
Police Sergeant: Cavin Cornwall
Minister: Samuel James
Tony Giordano: Steve Judkins
Director: Jack O'Brien
Designer: John Arnone
Lighting: Howell Binkley
Sound: Mike Walker
Costumes: Bob Morgan
Music Director/Arrangements: Ted Sperling
Arrangements (Dance Music): Zane Mark
U.K. Music Director: Martin Lowe
Orchestration: Harold Wheeler
Choreographer: Jerry Mitchell
2002-03-15 06:00:24