A storyline that concerns itself with unemployment, suicide, child benefit issues, marital problems and self-esteem issues seems like it could never be funny. But the Boston Conservatory Theater cast has proven otherwise. Their performance of the 2000 adaptation of the 1997 film, "The Full Monty," was a mix of touching moments and side-splitting hilarity.
The plot centers on a couple of friends who, having been laid off by the factory that they work at in Buffalo, New York, decide to strip for money after realizing how much the Chippendale dancers make in a night. After picking up a few more friends along the way, the group deals with the gravity of everyday life and the hilarity of attempting to learn how to dance and strip within two weeks.
Jerry is the protagonist and needs the money in order to keep seeing his son, Dave is the best friend who thinks he's too much of a "fat bastard" to strip, Ethan is the untalented but well-endowed simpleton, Malcolm is the suicidal loner, Harold is the boss who is still hiding his unemployment from his wife and Horse is the older-yet-most-talented member of the group.
Keith White, who plays Jerry, gave a convincing performance as the father who just can't get it right and constantly messes up. The film was adapted as a musical and the songs were well placed throughout the play, although there were several moments when somber songs overpowered the humor and kept the audience waiting for funnier moments. One song, a serenade for his sleeping son incredibly well sung by White, probably was not necessary.
Other songs were better placed and more entertaining. Horse's audition for the group culminated in a song-and-dance routine that had him shaking out his bad hip and boogying down on stage. The number was in complete contrast to his slow, shaky entrance onto the stage.
Combining comedy and tragedy within a musical creates considerable tension between the two elements of the show. Its humor often made it difficult to appreciate the poignant, serious elements of the plot without waiting impatiently to laugh again.
While all the performances managed to sit comfortably on the line between humor and slapstick, one performance definitely stood out. In Niki Sawyer's portrayal of Vicki, the ditzy, shallow and yet endearingly enamored wife of Harold, she managed to embody the exuberant housewife persona in a charming and hysterical manner.
The play touches on lighthearted and dramatic topics with equal ease, whether it's a briefly explored relationship between Ethan and Malcolm or even the characters' brief arrest for indecent exposure while performing a dress-rehearsal for a selection of elderly folk.
The final scene, wherein the boys finally perform their striptease in front of the audience, was done in a tasteful and humorous manner. The ladies of the performance egged on the men, who were ultimately hesitant about going ‘The Full Monty' but eventually disrobed as the audience was blinded by backlight.
One of the few minor issues in the performance was the behavior of the audience itself. People were often whooping or catcalling their friends that came on stage, disrupting the flow on stage.
But outside of these minor issues, the play frequently had the audience laughing uncontrollably. Smooth transitions between scenes and incredibly comic physical acting paired to make a musical that, thanks to the live orchestra accompaniment, was both seamless and charming.
