LITTLE THEATRE OF NORFOLK ROCKS THE FULL MONTY

Theater Babe Says:  Go (and Not Just 'Cuz They're Naked!)

Barely five minutes into the show, buff and beautiful Kelly O'Clair struts and glides across the stage as smoothly as if his joints are made of ball bearings, shedding shirt and pants with expert showmanship in a dance a la Chippendales that makes anyone with even a smidgen of estrogen sit up and pay attention.  Undivided attention.  Thus begins the Little Theatre of Norfolk's eminently entertaining production of The Full Monty.

Directed and choreographed by Shon M. Stacy, the enthusiasm and strong vocals of the cast carry the show through its uneven moments for a thoroughly enjoyable performance well-deserving of the riotous applause and cheers bestowed by the capacity crowd.

Set in present day Buffalo, New York, The Full Monty tells the tale of six men who, having suffered the indignities of long-term unemployment stemming from the closure of the local steel mill, decide to present a strip act after observing the success of a touring Chippendales troupe.  In a show that hangs upon a single visual hook, Mr. Stacy has wisely refrained from succumbing to the temptation to cast Adonis clones in the principal roles.  While Tony Brach ("Harold"), James Bryan ("Ethan"), Paul Costen ("Jerry"), AJ Friday ("Horse"), Tim Jarman ("Malcolm") and Garney Johnson ("Dave") are not at all unattractive, they simply look like ordinary guys – and that reinforces the credibility of the premise upon which the plot turns.

As Jerry, Mr. Costen displays a great tenor voice and though his dramatic scenes lack depth and intensity – we see, rather than feel, the frustration that causes him to hatch and pursue the
"Let's strip!" Plan – he gives a proficient performance in a demanding role.  That performance would be improved if he would stay in the "hot spot" of the lights; when he does not hit his mark, his face is partly shadowed to ill effect, specifically but not only in the the opening number, "Scrap." 

Mr. Costen and Mr. Johnson as Jerry's best friend, Dave, generate a credible camaraderie, and vocally they are extremely well-matched.  The Theater Babe can safely say that their rendition of "Big-Ass Rock" is one of the flat-out funniest scenes she has ever seen on stage – particularly when Mr. Johnson apparently just right that second realizes that a rope (and, later, a club) could be a purveyor of homicide -- but she cautions Mr. Costen and Mr. Johnson not to get carried away during the section of the song in which they provide backup vocals to Mr. Jarman; on Friday night, they overpowered him such that Malcom's lyrics were hard to hear.

Mr. Johnson possesses a wonderful voice, but he also tends to overshadow Mr. Brach during "You Rule My World," the duet pairing Dave with Harold.  While Mr. Johnson should probably be more cognizant of the extent to which his powerful voice may dominate those of other amateur singers, overall the music direction by Andreá Gomez is the weak link in this production.  All too frequently, the musical numbers are out of balance – sometimes because one singer is stronger than another, but more often because the electric bass challenges, rather than accompanies and supports, the vocals.  There are several moments when the instrumental introductions start too late, so the actor stands awkwardly on stage waiting to burst into song.  When the six principals sing as a chorus, such as in "Scrap," or "The Goods," they have a fabulously full sound, but there are harmonies which are discordant rather than intentionally dissonant due to pitch problems.  Because Mr. Johnson, Mr. Jarman, Mr. Friday, Mr. Costen, Mr. Bryan and Mr. Brach each individually have strong, quality voices, the flaw is not in the talent, but in the way the execution of the song has been directed and/or rehearsed.  And while the simple accompaniment to "You Walk with Me" is lovely, it is inadequately supportive; more melodic accompaniment would give Mr. Jarman and Mr. Bryan the opportunity to shine.

It is in Mr. Johnson's depiction of Dave that we most acutely feel the workers' fears of inadequacy, rejection and failure.  Reportedly, Mr. Johnson purposefully gained significant weight to play this particular role and his courageous performance is both successful and heartwarming.  We understand why Dave takes the job as a Walmart security guard, but we want him to dance.

Mr. Jarman is believably neurotic as the downtrodden Malcolm.  Mr. Bryan gives a fine, comedic performance as the Donald O'Connor-wannabe, Ethan; we applaud his persistence even as we consistently laugh at his folly.  Mr. Brach is credible as the denial-ridden Harold. Although his scenes with his wife, Vicki, portrayed here by Elizabeth Dickerson, are few and far between, in those little bits of dialogue Mr. Brach and Ms. Dickerson manage to establish a sense of unity so that we believe Harold would postpone telling his wife of his unemployed status because he doesn’t want to disappoint her and we believe that while Vicki is certainly willing to enjoy the perks of prosperity, she is not going to abandon her husband because he cannot provide them.  Ms. Dickerson's performance of "Life with Harold" is delightful. 

AJ Friday nearly stops the show with his rendition of "Big Black Man," and he is a splendid dancer even -- hilariously -- when his "arthritic" leg causes him problems in "Michael Jordan's Ball."  Nancy Bloom gives an acceptable performance as Jeanette, but she is not a brilliant singer and that flaw is noticeable because the other vocal talent in this show is first-rate.  As a result, "Jeanette's Showbiz Number" would be immeasurably improved if she were to take a Rex Harrison approach and "speak-sing" that number to emphasize the amusing lyrics and avoid her vocal shortcomings.  Alex Costen, as Jerry's son, Nathan, makes his debut in this production and does a fine job of remembering his considerable number of lines, but he would benefit from additional instruction regarding the importance of not presenting his back to the audience and the need to project at all times.

The women in The Full Monty have little stage time, but as Georgie, Dave's wife, Genevieve McBride makes the most of every second of it.  Her lead vocals in "It's a Woman's World" are outstanding, and her more intimate reprise of "You Rule My World" demonstrates a warmer, softer, yet still strong, side of her character.  In the Theater Babe's humble opinion -- and without any disrespect intended to Lauren Webre (whom the Theater Babe has not seen) who will be playing that role during the last weekend of the run -- it is a shame that all audiences will not have the opportunity to experience Ms. McBride's exceptional performance.

In the final analysis, however, The Full Monty is of course about the men displaying themselves in all their glory, and the final scene does not disappoint.  All six of the principals remain in character throughout the entirety of the show; unlike some more far-fetched portrayals of this piece, the men do not magically morph into fabulous exotic dancers.  Here, their choreography is purposefully -- and perfectly -- imperfectly executed ... they awkwardly disengage their belts ... they struggle with pulling their clothes off over their shoes -- and we cheer for them when they finally successfully disrobe.  The impressiveness of the confidence that Mr. Brach, Mr. Bryan, Mr. Costen, Mr. Friday, Mr. Jarman and especially Mr. Johnson as the so-called "fat bastard" display cannot be overstated.  In a society that prizes svelte figures, these men celebrate their less-than-perfect silhouettes and we cannot help but do the same.  When they do, at long last, present (ahem) the full monty, it is tastefully lit so the full frontal nudity is more implied than displayed – but, make no mistake, these self-assured men get their groove on for long, marvelous moments clad in little more than ... well, you should go and see for yourself. 

The set, by Jason C. Martens, is interesting but there were slight problems that were moderately distracting.  Several scenes are played on the upper level, stage left, of the two-story set, but from where the Theater Babe was sitting (three seats in from the right aisle) in those instances the most she could see was the reflection of the spotlight and an occasional gesture; for a long moment, Mr. Johnson is apparently seated on the second story, stage left, and all the Theater Babe could see was his right arm.  Harold's home is supposed to be affluent and stylish, but the frame upon which the sofa sits is noticeably scuffed and greatly in need of a coat of paint which erodes the attempt to establish a posh atmosphere.  Additionally, the crew needs to be careful to remember to adjust the curtain after the set change prior to "Big-Ass Rock" before the lights go up to ensure that the magic of the set remains a mystery to the audience.  Those little, easily remedied, things needlessly detract from the performance as a whole.

Costumer Staci Murawski did an excellent job of establishing the characters through their clothing, and the choice to use construction workers rather than the traditional policeman outfits in the final scene was a good one.

Bottom line?  The Full Monty as presented by the Little Theatre of Norfolk is big fun interspersed with some truly remarkable moments.  It is unquestionably an adult show, so if you are disinclined to listen to repeated foul-language or are offended by lewd references, gestures and/or public nudity, this is not the show for you.  The Theater Babe is not so high-minded, however, and encourages anyone similarly situated to come and enjoy the experience because it is surely worth the time and ticket price.

Performances run thru June 24th, Thursday - Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

at the Little Theatre of Norfolk

801 Claremont Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23507

Tickets are $17 with discounts for students, seniors and military.

Reservations can be obtained by calling the box office at (757) 627-8551.

© 2012 Hampton Roads Theater Babe.  All Rights Reserved.