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REVIEW
​Little Theatre Company presents
‘The Full Monty – The Musical’ 

16th – 19th May 2018, Palace Theatre Westcliff
Little Theatre Company go all the way with their latest production!
​The film of The Full Monty was - can you believe it - released twenty years ago! It told the story of a bunch of recently laid off steel workers who become male strippers in order to make ends meet.  Little Theatre Company has made the brave choice to take on the Broadway production which is based on the movie but is set in Buffalo, New York.  Aside from this, the storyline is basically the same; a group of unemployed steel workers, all with their own varying problems and dilemmas that unemployment can bring, get together to become male strippers for ‘one night only’.

The linchpin of this crazy scheme is Jerry Lukowski, who will lose custody of his son, Nathan, if he doesn’t come up with his share of maintenance.  While spying on their wives at a ‘girls’ night out’, Jerry and pal, Dave, realise just how lucrative the life of a stripper can be. 

However, anyone who thinks that The Full Monty is purely about men getting their kit off would be very much mistaken.  This is a story about six very different men who each have their own battle to overcome and it is actually a hugely heartwarming and endearing tale which will have you completely rooting  for each and every one of them when it comes to the closing moments of the show.

Director, Bradley Green, has done a wonderful job in creating a compelling piece of drama which has been extremely well cast and he has also managed to find every inch of humour in the show with lots of laugh out loud moments; this from a very tight cast who produce some great comic timing.

Chris Lidgard in his first major lead role for the group gives a truly believable performance as Jerry and the relationship between him and best friend, Dave works really well.  Dave Bukatinsky is struggling with his weight which is affecting his relationship with his wife. His self esteem is at an all time low and he is brilliantly played by a self deprecating, Julian Cottee, who produces a well rounded (excuse the pun) character with wonderful pathos.

Jamie Redgate as Harold; Scott Michael Bourne as Horse; and Darren Harper as Ethan each bring their own energy to the production and it would be unfair to pick out any one of them as they all do such a great job in their roles, however, Chris Higginson gave a completely endearing performance as the awkward, pigeon chested, ‘mummy’s boy’ Malcolm with some good characterisation.  Sebastian Poskitt-Richardson who plays Nathan should also get a mention for lovely performance.
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All the drama is, of course, interspersed with musical numbers which, to be fair, you probably won’t be humming on the way home but there are some pleasant songs with some great lyrics and the band sound great under the musical direction of Clare Penfold.  Big Ass Rock is a great number with some good harmonies from Jerry, Dave and Malcom and Breeze Off the River has a great tune.  You Rule My World and its reprise is also another well sung duet with Dave and Harold and then later with their wives, Georgi and Vicki (Sarah Pettican and Lianne Larthe) and the heart strings are really pulled in You Walk With Me, a beautifully sung duet by Malcolm and Ethan.   Sally Lightfoot as name-dropping ex showbiz writer and pianist, Jeannette, makes the absolute most of a peach of a part, not least with her Showbiz Number at the top of Act 2. 

The choreography by Gemma Carracher looks original and creative and the all important strip routines work brilliantly.  I loved the slow motion piece when they were practicing their routine.

There are lots of scene changes in this production (which runs for 3 hours including the interval) which could have been horribly clunky but LTC backstage crew do a fine job here and keep the show running smoothly.

The build up and nervous anticipation for the guys to perform their routine in front of an audience is really high and you find yourself completely investing in every single one of them to do well.  You kind of expect to hear the classic, You Can Keep Your Hat On for the finale number but no, the guys have to sing as well as strip.  Obviously, you will have to go and find out for yourselves whether they do or not.  Suffice to say, that I ‘take my hat off’ to every one of them for not only putting a smile on my face but the whole of the audience’s faces too - which for a Thursday matinee, I can assure you, is no easy task.

The Full Monty is a brave show for any company to put on but Little Theatre Company have had no trouble in pulling it off - in more ways than one! 

Don't miss this brilliant show on until Saturday 19th May

See below for how to get your tickets.

Little Theatre Company will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2019, and with a reputation for bold staging and award-winning performances it’s no wonder many members have gone on to forge successful careers in theatre and entertainment, including company president Gemma Craven, Lee Mead and Mark Cotgrove aka jazz musician Snowboy.

‘The Full Monty’ runs at the Palace Theatre in Westcliff from Wednesday 16th to Saturday 19th May. Tickets are £19 - £21 (evenings) and £16 - £18 (matinees), including a £1 booking fee. Evening performances are at 7.30pm, plus two 2.30pm matinees on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets are available now from the Southend Theatres Box Office: 01702 351135 southendtheatres.org.uk.

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