'Full Monty' shows off in funny, frothy style
The big question with the Marriott Lincolnshire's production of "The Full Monty" has to be: Will they or won't they?
Bare all, we mean.
Well, I'll let audiences see for themselves. But rest assured, the bawdy musical - based on the critically acclaimed British film - remains a naughty romp, even if it leaves a little to the imagination.
In this Americanized version, best buds Jerry (KC Lupp) and Dave (Joe Coots) are out of work, out of shape and out of options in Buffalo, NY. Dave's marriage is on the rocks since he lost his job at the steel mill where they both worked, and if Jerry doesn't come up with child support money soon, he'll lose joint custody of his son.
Jerry gets a flash of inspiration when he sees women flocking to watch buff male dancers strip down to their skivvies. If these guys can do it, why can't he and Dave?
His plan to stage a one-night-only strip show has more than a few flaws. Jerry's body's not bad, but Dave's diet of burgers, beer and chips has given him a John Goodman-like physique. Yet they plow ahead anyway, convincing Harold, another unemployed former co-worker (Michael Gerhart), to teach them to dance and help them recruit others.
The auditions are a hoot, attracting the daft and the desperate. There's dweeby Malcolm (Stephen Schellhardt), klutzy Ethan (Jason W. Shuffler) and "Horse" (Milton Craig Nealy) - a gray-haired, stiff-hipped black man brought aboard because the guys are convinced he'll live up to his nickname.
Those used to more traditional musicals from Marriott might find "The Full Monty" jarring. Jerry and Dave respond to a suicidal Malcolm with a rollicking song offering to help him do himself in, and other songs are explicit regarding race and sexual orientation. It's all in fun, though, and there's plenty of that to be had in Marriott's energetic, envelope-pushing production.
The cast makes it all work. KC Lupp and Joe Coots have great chemistry as likable losers Jerry and Dave. Coots' comic timing is spot on, and he delivers many of the show's best lines. All six of the men, in fact, work well together, creating a kind of camaraderie that gives the show - even at its wackiest - an endearing authenticity, made all the more poignant in our own tough economic times.
"The Full Monty" clearly belongs to the guys, but the amazing Alene Robertson makes the perfect addition to the cast as their wisecracking piano player Jeanette. With a head full of teased red curls, an ever-present cigarette and pitch-perfect delivery, Robertson never fails to generate a laugh.
The story builds to a fun, frothy finale that celebrates guys in all their beer-guzzling, hairy-backed glory.
"The Full Monty"
3 stars out of four
Location: Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire
Times: 1 and 8 p.m. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 5 p.m. Sundays; through Sept. 21
Running time: 2 hours, with intermission
Tickets: $45
Parking: In lot
Box Office: (847) 634-0200 or marriotttheatre.com
Rating: For adults, contains language, sexual gestures and light nudity.
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=1&type=video&item=186">Clip from Marriott Theatre's 'Full Monty'</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>