The Full Monty....ending (possible spoiler)- Page 2

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/19/06 at 1:54pm

Maybe I should have been more specific, frontrow.

I don't think nudity is disturbing or shocking, I just staged an all-nude show myself not so long ago, and have nothing against nudity onstage. In the right context it is nothing short of incredible.

But in The Full Monty, I think that after giving us these people's backgrounds, joys and troubles, showing their naked bodies would be out of context, or maybe to be more fair, of structure. The musical would end in a note that wasn't supposed to... it is never to be make a statement about bodies or nudity itself, but of courage, family, guts and commitment.

I just think showing their exposed bodies in full light isn't necessary, as is the fact that we know they went for it!

Updated On: 7/19/06 at 01:54 PM

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 7/19/06 at 5:29pm

Yay! This topic made it to 2 pages. (That was a subtle way of bumping the post..he he)

Blaxx, that's a great explanation. Exactly what I was looking for. Nudity is great, but in this show to do that at the end would be out of context for the entire show.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 3:31am

Except that the "full monty" is the point of the whole show. These guys finally do it. Even if they just briefly flash the audience then a blackout (or a blinding white out as on Broadway and the Tony awards.) The build-up of course its the strip routine. The flashing is just the ! at the end of the show/.

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 4:07am

Mmmmm, yes, that's what we were saying to begin with.

Updated On: 7/20/06 at 04:07 AM

[samantha2]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 11:12am

The whole point of "The Full Monty" is telling each of the character's stories which all leads up to the strip scene at the end and using the necessary lighting really makes that scene work tastefull! Exposing the characters nude and in full light would really take away from the whole experience.

I saw this play done regionally and being from a conservative state such as Utah, I didn't think that the cast would go for the full monty. I was disappointed with the thought that they would not bare all, that they would keep their g-strings on, but when the time came, I was not disappointed. It was staged the same way it was on Broadway with the white out background. Needless to say, because they chose to go with the white light, the play was a big hit in Park City this last season and will be brought back next season for another run. I plan on being there!

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 11:21am

Samantha! Thanks for the great feedback!

[Salad_Fingers85]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 2:50pm

When I saw the Full Monty in Chicago, I believe the intent was to put the lights, however the lights did not go on at first exposing the actual Full Monty. That however was a mistake by the lighting crew. Usually they put light up from the back to cover the males at this point. However, A friend who saw it still said she could she the naked men.

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 12:37pm

Ok. Another topic. Does the actor portraying Dave need to be fat? Also, what do people feel about lowering the key for actors because they cannot sing the high notes in the show?

[Jon]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 1:20pm

Well, Dave sings a love song to his stomach, so he at least needs to have a pot belly.

The guy who I saw on Broadway - the replacement, not the original, was heavy set with a round belly, yet he was not really "fat". He was built more like a footbal player - nothing really jiggled, there was no crinkly cellulite - he was in really good shape for a big guy.

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 2:40pm

was his name Daniel Stewart Sherman? I think he did Dave on the tour as well. I was looking forward to seeing him on tour, but it was someone else.

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 7:30pm

I think most of the Dave's have not been "jiggly" fat. I heard one of the Dave's on tour lost weight because of all the dancing and got down to 185.

All the guys in the show are supposed to be "out of shape" but if you'll notice, they are all pretty "in shape". I guess there's a difference between real life "out of shape" and stage "out of shape". And I can understand that.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 7/23/06 at 10:46pm

Dave should be fat, or at least big-boned with some "extra padding." However, having him be too fat would be unpleasant for the audience, and having him be too skinny would defeat the purpose of the character. So ya gotta find a happy medium.

Anyway, regarding key changes, when I did the show, our Jerry was a true tenor, but he smoked so much pot over the summer (it was summer stock production) that they ended up having to lower all of his solos by a full step. It was quite a bummer, because his songs really do sound best in the key that they're written. However, MTI will change the key of the songs for many of its shows if you pay a fee. I think it's $125 per song or something. Because basically all six of the principal men need to be tenors (or high baritones at least), you may need to take advantage of this if you can't find men who can sing the score as written.

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 7/24/06 at 8:34pm

Well, the guy they cast in the show I'm in is a bass. They want to lower the notes a FIFTH down.

[samantha2]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 3:46pm

The character of Dave definately needs to be a bit over weight or what happens to him, the turmoil he goes through doesn't work. There is the song he sings to his mid section and "The Goods" song that refers to all of the character's short comings (he's fat, he's old, he's skinny, he's bald, he's old, he's got pimples on his a......). All the character's have some sort of a flaw. That's what makes the play so wonderful. They are just ordinary people!!!.

In case it wasn't obvious, I love "The Full Monty". Patrick Wilson is my favorite Broadway and movie actor.

[LuvUrBatBoy]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 6:33pm

I just finished a run in the Baltimore premiere production of Monty and just to add what people have already said... to do the Full Monty and not have the 6 guys go all the way is a cop out. It'd be like doing Footloose and then having the kids not dance at the end. To do a show thats all about nudity and then cut it for "decency reasons" is plain dumb. If you want a clean show do The Sound of Music. Monty is supposed to be crass and vulgar and modern...and it's a hell of a lot of fun. I had the best time doing it.

As for our production we did the light wall behind the guys as done in the bway production. Our audience saw bare asses just before the guys lifted the hats, so they knew it was for real. We got the best responses too...so much respect and admiration from our audiences. They loved it.

As for Dave, our Dave (the amazing John Ford) was definitely a heavy guy and could be described as jiggly, but moved like a man 1/3 of his size. In my opinion Dave is the Everyman of the show. I doubt there's anyone (well mostly) who wouldnt have some type of doubt in himself when faced with appearing nude in public. The audience must connect with Dave and his fears as well as his courage or the resonance of the show falls flat.

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 6:47pm

Thanks, LuvUrBatBoy, for you insight! Even better that you did the show. What part did you do?

Edit: Let me rephrase that....what role did you play?

Updated On: 7/25/06 at 06:47 PM

[dewdew17]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 6:50pm

i give them credit for expossing themselfs in front of a full house~dilan

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 7:24pm

When I did the show last summer (I was Harold), there were multiple instances where the audience saw more than we intended (we did it like the B'way production--full nudity but with blinding lights). More than once the lights did not go at the proper time, and once my hat (which was covering my crotch) broke off from the brim by which I was holding it, giving the 400 audience members a pretty clear view of my manhood. And of course, supposedly people in the front row on the side of the house could see "everything."

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 7/25/06 at 7:28pm

Yeah, I'm concerned about those technical screw-ups! I guess it'd be a good time to be real friendly with the crew. But Dave's usually in the back....