ST. JACOBS – If you haven’t seen the widely-acclaimed 1997 movie The Full Monty, then you probably have no idea what “the full monty” means.
It’s a British term of unknown origins that means giving it your all. If you have seen the film, then you know exactly what the characters in this show are providing for the audience.
In The Full Monty, a group of unemployed steel factory workers is sitting around, complaining that good jobs are hard to find, especially proper “manly” jobs like the ones they had.
Some of them are considering working at the mall as security guards, and others are house-husbands while their wives work.
None of them are happy, especially Jerry, whose bad choices and refusal to work at the mall have put him in dire straits, not just financially, but with his ex-wife, who is threatening to keep his son Nathan away if he can’t pay child support.
The men complain that the women are paying a lot of money to go to a local club to see Chippendale dancers, wondering why they would pay to see (almost) naked men when they have perfectly decent men at home.
Jerry’s best friend Dave, a portly fellow, points out that they just can’t compare to the Chippendale guys.
But Jerry is not deterred, and decides to put on their own male strip show, pointing out that they could make $50,000 in one night if they could fill the 1,000-seat hall with women willing to pay $50 each.
The guys are dubious, but Jerry is convinced that with a dance instructor and a few solid weeks of practice, they can do it.
Tryouts begin, which eventually result in a motley crew of six willing to bare (almost) all to help their financial situation.
We have the leader of the group Jerry, played by Amir Haidar; reluctant sidekick Dave, played by Benjamin Doncom; dance instructor Harold, played by Mark Harapiak; older but fleet-footed Horse (named because of presumed size), played by Mark Cassius; awkward Mama’s boy Malcolm, played by Nick Boegel; and the actual horse Ethan, played by Eric Da Costa.
These six actors are outstanding and they bare all, emotionally, to each other as they work through embarrassment, nervousness, discouragement and frustration.
They deal with body shaming from the women around them, knowing they don’t compare to the professional Chippendale dancers.
Each of the six has their own issues to work through, and except for eager Ethan, they all have times where they are unsure about the plan.
But when they are challenged by local women that there’s no reason for them to go to a show with a bunch of regular guys stripping down to a G-string when they can see professionals do it for the same price, the guys decide that they have to offer something the Chippendale guys don’t – the full monty.
Dave is especially reluctant, mainly because he’s ashamed of being overweight.
While the other men might not be Chippendale-worthy, they are slim and decent looking.
Dave is the last to join the party and works through a lot of personal body issues with the help of his loving and supportive wife.
Special mention must be made of Declan Pothier, who plays Nathan, Jerry’s 12-year-old son.
Nathan is present for a lot of the rehearsals and discussions, and Pothier has a natural presence and comfort on stage that is remarkable. We will see more of this young actor.
The show is cleverly directed so that the theatre audience becomes the audience for the grand finale of the guys’ performance.
Other cast members are peppered throughout the audience, hooting and cheering, which encourages the theatre audience to join in.
Despite dealing with some serious issues, the show is a comedy and there were several moments where the cast had to freeze dialogue until the laughter died down.
The Full Monty puts a funny and endearing spin on a bunch of regular guys just trying to get by and do the best for their families.
So does the group provide “the full monty?” You will have to come to the show to find out.
Directed by Alex Mustakas, The Full Monty has various afternoon and evening shows at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse until June 7.
Call the box office at 519-747-7788 or toll-free at 1-855-drayton (372-9866) or visit draytonentertainment.com.