The Full Monty - Tour

Bound to be all over the news this one, for all the wrong reasons.

Bugger. That'll teach me not to read the full release!

Whenever I’ve caught even five minutes of the film on tv in the last fifteen years it has felt incredibly dated yet Its’ themes are just as relevant today; possibly even more so. The ever widening gaps in society grow by the minute.

I booked for Manchester a few weeks back when it went on pre-sale. I agree perfect timing to release the cast info at the same time as the first look at the TV series.

A few thoughts from last night's viewing. As you can probably expect this show certainly has a lively audience and last night was no exception. With no Jake Quickenden on last night (Oliver Joseph Brooke was on instead as Guy and was a great watch), everyone had a great night and thankfully we managed to get through the show without incident (the preshow and interval announcements of kicking people out of the show and the threat of legal action if caught recording the show definitely worked).

Walking into the auditorium and seeing 3 2-storey metal towers really in the middle of the vast Empire stage really was a bit concerning but they are cleverly used as to represent different locations from steel factories, to clubs and homes with bits of different dressings to flesh them out. When they moved around the stage for the 2.5hrs run time last night it actually filled the stage quite nicely. Other bits and pieces came down to add to the main towers. You get a big photo of the Sheffield skyline at the back as well.

I will say the cast actually are good (the accents less so) and the audience certainly appreciated the talent and choreography on display. The young lad who played Nathan (Rowan Poulton I think was on last night) was a scene stealer and certainly more than held his own against his older cast members.

I don't think anybody came away disappointed and all the jokes landed with the audience last night. For me, a good night at the theatre.

Saw this in Manchester on the weekend and really enjoyed. The Opera House staff where a little over the top with the no phones no cameras boards and waving them in peoples faces non-stop whether they had their phone out or not pre show and during the interval - never seen it this extreme.

The set was really well used, it looked impressive from the start and loved the way it came apart and rotated to create different sets. The cast where on top form, Neil Hurst, if you closed your eyes sounded just like Mark Addy and there where times I had to remind myself he wasn't. Jake Quickenden obviously got the most cheers of the night, and thankfully, other than the odd call out to see someone penis (although not that polite) the audience where mostly behaved.

Happily book to see this again when (if) it does tour.

Can I ask an appallingly vulgar question about this play?

Do you actually get to see some willy in the finale?

I'd assumed we would - hats away, quick flash, lights out but it must be a nightmare trying to police people with phones...

Were you in said audience? I'd be slightly cynical and suggest that some modesty pouches may have been used in shooting of that promo shot, taken from behind.