The Arts, Etc.



Broad Brook Opera House

107 Main Street, Broad Brook, Connecticut
Box Office: 860-292-6068

http://smplayers.homestead.com/OperaHouse.html


The Full Monty

November 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28, 2009 at 8 PM
November 15, 22, 29, 2009 at 2 PM
All seats reserved

Music & Lyrics by David Yazbeck
Book by Terrence McNally
Directed by Philip D. Vetro
Musical Direction by Tom Slowick
Choreography by Lesley Gallagher

Reviewed by Thayer

    "The full monty" is a British expression akin to our "the whole shebang" and the whole shebang is certainly what the Opera House Players gave The Full Monty in terms of their ability, energy and enthusiasm. They dealt with the "too hot to handle" subject matter most deftly -- even when the alarm at the fire house across the street blared and sent the play into an unplanned intermission for four very loud minutes.

    The nearly full house enjoyed itself, so at the end, the standing "O" was no surprise, but I expected a second curtain call. Instead, the cast bounded off the stage and ran out of the theater ahead of the crowd. Outside, they lined up, shook hands with the departing audience, and thanked everyone for coming -- a display of one-on-one warmth that left the theatergoers even happier than the play had already made them.

    Although in this country we point to Broadway's musical Americanization in 2000, The Full Monty originally premiered in 1997 as a British comedy film. However, given today's high unemployment numbers, it is perhaps even more relevant now than it has been at any time in its 12-year history. If you're out of work, know someone who is out of work, or worried about losing your job, this show is exactly what the doctor ordered: a comedic reality check.

    Set in Buffalo where a mill closed and left many unemployed, the show opens as men try to deal with the loss of their breadwinner status. Jerry Lukowski (Christopher deJongh) and Dave Bukatinsky (Ty Pearsons) are best friends and their bond comes across so sincerely, one wonders if they are also best friends off stage. Jobless for nearly 18 months, the "final straw" comes when their still-working wives (one current; one ex) go to a Chippendale Revue. Desperate to bolster their income and prove their own self worth, Jerry and Dave concoct a plan to produce their own male revue. They recruit other ex-workers from the failed mill including their former boss, Harold (Paul DiProto), and the unlikely group -- ranging from too thin to too beer-bellied and un-thin -- begins practicing.

    A keyboard, guitar, drums and bass bump and grind out all the right notes as the guys attempt to pull themselves up by their bootstraps which, in this case, happen to be red leather jockstraps. Foster Evan Reese is positively wonderful as "Horse" in his "Big Black Man" number and Moonyean Field as Jeanette Burmeister, their accompanist/cheerleader who comes out of retirement (she tells Frank Sinatra era stories) to help them is delightful.

    A funny, funny play; the totally engaging performance of a community theater cast that knows how to give its all; and the amazing country ambiance of the intimate Broad Brook Opera House combine to make The Full Monty a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Recommended for mature audiences (adult themes, strong language, brief nudity).



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