The Full Monty
It’s not surprising that when it appeared in 1997 The Full Monty was instantly dubbed a “feelgood” film. Set in the late 1980s, it tells the story of a group of skilled men laid off from a Sheffield steel mill who aim to raise some much needed cash by mounting a one-off strip show, and is delivered with dry humour and an infectiously upbeat finish.
The once-successful steel mills of Sheffield have shut down and most of the employees have been laid off. Former steel workers Gary “Gaz” Schofield (Kenny Doughty) and Dave Horsefall have resorted to stealing scrap metal from the abandoned mills to sell. Gaz is a guy trying to do the best for his son who lives with his mum Mandy and her new partner Barry, but he’s facing trouble from his Mandy over child support payments that he’s failed to make since losing his job. Gaz’s son, Nathan (Travis Caddy, who stole the show), loves his father but wishes they could do more “normal stuff” in their time together.
Dave played by Roger Morlidge is Gaz’s best mate. He used to work the crane at the steelworks which he calls Margaret after Margaret Thatcher (for those too young to remember, she was prime minister in the 1970’s- 80’s and was known as the iron lady).
Gaz goes to the working men’s club one night and the club owner Alf tells him he can’t go in as there is a ladies’ night on with the Chippendales. Having heard how much they can make, Gaz decides that this is the way to pay Mandy the maintenance money he is due her.
So recruiting some of his former work mates, Gaz announces the ultimate ladies’ night by declaring for one night only they will be doing “the full Monty”
And the full Monty they did!!!
The production is well put together from the stage hands all the way up to the director, and the whole show ran smoothly from start to finish.
The audience was made up of both young and older people with a great mix of females as well as a few males. I talked to one of the men, who had said he was dreading the fact that his wife had dragged him along but he was glad he had gone.
The show had the audience eating out of its hand from the word go. There are so many laughs in it but I must remind you that it is set in the 1980’s and there are a lot of political references which are of that time.
All in all it is a great show and ladies get yourselves along to see it – you will have a blast.
And to answer the question YES they do the full Monty but no, you don’t see anything due to some superb lighting.
10/10 for the whole experience!
Christine Booth