Taking It All Off
Reviewed by Mary Alderson
What does a guy do when he’s unemployed, has no money, and his ex-wife threatens to cut him off from his son because he’s behind in support payments? Well, in this case, he gets together with his unemployed friends, and puts together a group of male dancers to rival Chippendales.
The Full Monty is live on stage at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre. Like the popular 1997 movie, this group of down-and-out unemployed men are upset when their working wives can afford to go out for an evening and see a male striptease show when it comes to town. Jerry needs money fast for child support so he decides to get his buddies on board as male strippers and sell admission tickets. A problem arises when the group is promoted as being better than the Chippendales because they will go all the way, total nudity – The Full Monty – which the Chippendale pros won’t. Of course, this is without the usual male stripper physiques and a complete lack of dance moves. And therein lies the comedy.
The show and the movie have the same basic plot and premise, although the movie was British, and the musical is set in Buffalo. But the main difference comes with the addition of music and amusing lyrics.
The six stripper-wannabes are all good in their roles: Gaelan Beatty as Jerry, Daniel Williston as Dave, Gavin Hope as Horse, Jacob MacInnis as Malcolm, Darren Burkett as Ethan, and Ian Simpson as Harold. They make the early rehearsals look like disasters, so the audience is rooting for them as they work on their act. Alex Wierzbicki shines (almost literally) as the Chippendale pro and in other roles.
Donna Garner as their piano player, Jeannette, nearly steals the show with her hilarious, jaded view of show business. With a cigarette dangling from her lips, she attempts to get the guys rehearsing, but then interrupts herself with some story from back in her Vaudeville days. It’s fun to see Garner’s brilliant talent for comedy; she reminded me of Carol Burnett with her physicality and one-liners.
Jamie McRoberts is excellent at Georgie, who tries to convince Dave he is lovable and still loved very much. Julia Juhas as Harold’s wife, Vicki, is endearing as she surprisingly supports his stripper role. Tahirih Vejdani is convincing as Jerry’s ex-wife who gets melancholy as she remembers the good times, and Autumn-Joy Dames gets the laughs as the flirtatious Estelle.
Another scene-stealer is August Fox who plays Nathan, Jerry’s son. The child has a pivotal role in this show, and I’m sure we will be seeing him on stage frequently in the future.
Just two concerns: First, the music was too loud. When characters were talking and there was background music, we couldn’t hear what was being said. Even during the singing, particularly solo numbers, it was difficult to hear the lyrics. Let’s hope the sound is improved at future performances.
Second concern: The male strippers were wearing straps to hold the battery packs that attach to the mics and transmit the sound. These straps would normally be hidden under costumes, but when they were taking off their clothes, they were quite visible and became a distraction. They may have also caused an opening night “wardrobe malfunction” which could have been disastrous to the plot. I hope they are able to find a better way to keep the straps out of sight and look more comfortable.
On opening night there was a Bride-To-Be in the audience, wearing her sash and a veil. Certainly, The Full Monty is the ideal show for a girls’ night out. It will guarantee a good time!
Only one question remains: Do they actually go Full Monty? Spoiler Alert: Yes, they do! But you will have to come and see just how they do it.
The Full Monty continues at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope until July 28, 2024. Tickets are available at the box office by calling 905-885-1071 or visiting https://capitoltheatre.com/
Photo: The unlikely strippers: Jacob MacInnis, Daniel Williston, Gaelan Beatty, Darren Burkett, and Ian Simpson, with Gavin Hope behind Simpson. Photo by Sam Moffatt.
Warning: The f-word is used liberally throughout this show, and the story is for a mature audience. Despite the fact that there is a young child actor in the cast, children should probably be left at home.
The Full Monty
Book by Terrance McNally
Music and Lyrics by David Yazbeck
Directed and Choreographed by Julie Tomaino
Musical Direction by Paul Moody
Performed by Gaelan Beatty, Darren Burkett, Autumn-Joy Dames, August Fox, Donna Garner, Gavin Hope, Julia Juhas, Jacob MacInnis, Jamie McRoberts, Ian Simpson, Tahirih Vejdani, Alex Wierzbicki, and Daniel Williston.
Capitol Theatre, Port Hope, Ontario
July 12 to 28, 2024
Reviewed by Mary Alderson