Starring: Danny Hatchard, Neil Hurst, Bill Ward, Nicholas Prasad, Jake Quickenden, Ben Onwukwe
Creator/Writer: Simon Beaufoy
Director: Michael Gyngell
Date/Year: 2024
Set in the 1990s in Sheffield, The Full Monty follows Gaz (Danny Hutchard) and Dave (Neil Hurst) – two ordinary working class men who have been made redundant due to the closing of the steelworks. After unsuccessful attempts to make quick cash and disheartened by the options available at the job centre, Gaz comes up with a solution to make them rich in one night – by performing a strip routine in a local club. Gaz quickly recruits his former foreman Gerald (Bill Ward) and security guard Lomper (Nicholas Prasad). Following auditions, the elderly Horse (Ben Onwukwe) and free-spirited Guy (Jake Quickenden) complete the troupe. All they have left to do is build up the nerve to go ‘full monty’ on the night.
Now while The Fully Monty is of course famous for its final scene, the story and build up to that moment include many incredibly deep scenes. Some of the topics the story explores include: the struggles and perceived stigma around unemployment, depression and suicide, sexuality, body confidence, and self-respect. On the surface this is a story a group of men who decide to perform a strip routine. At its heart this is a story about why they get to that point and what circumstances led them there.
The thing I really loved about the story was that it gave each of the six main characters/actors a moment to shine. Everyone got a ‘big laugh’ moment and everyone got at least one deep heart to heart moment. It was refreshing to see a story be so open about male mental health and the positivity that comes through sharing your problems and supporting each other through various hardships.
As the curtain was raised, the very first thing the audience saw was the impressive and imposing dual level set. The steel frames and walkways (a nod to the Sheffield steelworks) were initially laid out in a cube-like structure to simulate a nightclub. However it is soon revealed that the set was made up of three segments that could be rotated into multiple configurations, with each one representing a different locations. Each segment weighed several tonnes and needed several members of the stage crew and cast to move them. I can only image how long to must have taken everyone to learn the carefully coordinated set choreography that occurred throughout the play.
With a hard-hitting yet heart-warming story, a clever set design and fantastic acting throughout by the whole cast – this second iteration of Simon Beaufoy’s theatre production, directed by Michael Gyngell, was an absolute success!
Related Posts:
If you enjoyed this review you may also like these reviews:
Lair of Reviews 