An enthusiastic but unseasoned cast can't seem to rescue a cheaply mounted tour of The Full Monty. The musical doesn't stray far from its cinematic source (the show was adapted from a 1997 British film). A group of unemployed steelworkers hit on the unlikely idea of staging a strip show to rake in big cash and reclaim their manhood. Trouble is, the Chippendale's have already beaten them to it. So the locals reluctantly agree to show the ladies "everything" that God gave them (i.e., the full monty).
Let's back up a bit. The show's two main characters, Jerry and Dave, are longtime friends who suddenly find themselves unemployed. One gets a divorce; the other stays home and does dishes. Jerry is behind in his child support, and it looks as though he'll lose custody of his son. Jerry rounds up a bunch of sad sacks who bond while they humorously attempt to put on a show (Judy Garland, are you watching?). The overweight Dave, who is about as far from "buff" as one can get, reluctantly agrees to join them. They rehearse, worry, and rehearse some more.
This reviewer has never held a fondness for the musical, which (to my mind) has none of the film's abundant charm. However, the onstage Full Monty lasted almost two years on Broadway, making it an ideal candidate for a tour. With that in mind, The Full Monty made its Milwaukee debut in mid-January. With outdoor temperatures hovering around 8 degrees, the stripped-naked cast seemed almost to be a parody of the parka-clad audience.
Evidence of the producer's thrift abounds. The sets are flimsy (OK, they looked that way on Broadway, too.) The orchestra has been reduced to a group of eight (although they do excel under the direction of Stephen Purdy). The cast has been collected from regional theater and recent college shows. The actors were probably chosen for their looks, as they certainly weren't selected for their acting or singing talent (the latter didn't matter much, as David Yazbek's tunes are barely hummable and not the least bit memorable). One exception may be the show's hip-swinging finale, "Let It Go." In this rollicking number, the men convince themselves to drop their inhibitions -- along with their clothes.
A second viewing of The Full Monty reminds this reviewer of what a train wreck the show is. One has to believe that a writer of Terrence McNally's talent can get his points across without relying on so much gutter language. Jokes about boobs and butts abound. Choreography hinges on bumps and grinds. In this production, the only actor with the right "moves" is Troy Scarborough as Horse, the "big black man" with an inferiority complex. His audition for the strip squad is a highlight of this generally lackluster show.
