If you've seen the 1997 British film of The Full Monty, there's really no need to spend the time and money to see this live version. Essentially, the stories are identical: a group of out-of-work factory employees need to come up with some quick cash. The most desperate of these blue-collar boyos is Jerry Lukowski, who is several payments behind in his child support and therefore could lose custody of his son to his ex-wife. Incredibly, the guys decide to become strippers, a la Chippendale's. Auditions are held, and the "best" candidates are selected from this pitiful group. At first, the guys bellyache about endless rehearsals, skimpy costumes (e.g., thong bikinis,) etc., but eventually, they get the hang of it. Like the film, it all ends in a glitzy, bare-butt finale.
There are a couple of differences worth noting between stage and film versions. The live version is set in Buffalo, NY, not a factory town in England. This is definitely a positive move, as the audience can actually understand the characters' words (minus the thick British accents). Another departure is the addition of a wise talking, octogenarian pianist, named Jeanette (played by Broadway veteran Jane Connell). Although Jeanette gets her own song, "Jeanette's Showbiz Number," she's more of a distraction than anything else.
As you might guess by this point, the show's weakest aspect is its similarity to the film. There's none of this will-they-or-won't-they tension about whether the guys will shed it all. (When they do decide to "go the Full Monty," a British term for "all the way," it's anti-climactic. A blinding beam of light sears through the audience at precisely the moment the boys take off their final piece of clothing. By the time you blink and the polka dots disappear from your eyes, the guys are gone. After a beat, they teasingly reappear dressed in fluffy white robes.) Even the funniest scene in The Full Monty, in which the guys suspend rehearsal to scare a group of repo men, is rather ho-hum the second time around.
Although this reviewer did not see the much-lauded Patrick Wilson appear as the main character, Jerry Lukowski, the current actor in the role, Will Chase, seems up to the task. He earns the audience's sympathy as a guy who can't turn his life around. He is somewhat of a hunk, too, so it isn't surprising that his ex-wife (still played by Lisa Datz) harbors some feelings for him. As their son, Nathan, Dennis Michael Hall is convincingly puzzled by his dad's outlandish money-raising scheme. (Another child actor, Aaron Nutter, plays the part during alternate performances.)
The tunes by David Yazbek are pleasantly forgettable, as are the sets and costumes. Jerry Mitchell's choreography, however, is on the right track. It demonstrates how the actors (all non-dancers) are able to gradually get in the swing of things. While none of them even vaguely rivals the late Fred Astaire, they are appealing to watch. And that's about all the audience is asked to do -- just sit back and watch. If one goes in expecting nothing more, the result is a pleasurable couple of hours.
