The Full Monty is a comedy-drama play directed by Simon Beufoy. He also wrote the screenplay based on the movie by the same name. The setting is in England Sheffield. When the Sheffield steel factory closed, it rendered many jobless. At that time, poverty and unemployment were at peak levels (Holden et al). Self-image lost its meaning as people would do almost anything to earn a living. The play touches on themes such as poverty and unemployment by the use of elements such as costume and lightening. The two themes are well incorporated in the plays production through various aspects.
The Full Monty proves to be one of the remarkably integrated pieces of work in terms of costume use. Every single piece of material used is there to serve the purpose. The story line is given through the support of well-equipped design team. The scene begins with a scenic designer portraying the industrial strength. The basic environment surrounding the story suggest a factory building that is composed of corrugated metal sheets that are lined with pillars shaped like smokestacks. This setting provides a reminder of the once an economic strength zone that has ended in desperation forcing the characters to take it all off. Within the play, the designer change to varied units that define individual scenes. The designer continues to roll the play to varied locations such as the abandoned steel mill, suburb neighborhoods and bars. These locations are followed in order to present the context in an honorary way and to allow the buoyancy and fun of a musical comedy (Holden et al).
The lighting in the theater compliments the theme well with the use of dim lighting at the beginning that fully shows the desperation and poverty around the actors. The scenic design is dull and without any furnishing. The character`s clothing compliments the deteriorated housing in the neighborhoods. The theme of poverty comes out well even in Gaz tone when he speaks to Dave and his other friends about an idea of starting their striptease crew. He sounds desperate and in need of the idea to move forward. In fact, the lighting work and the moving scenery works exceptionally well with the play to bring together huge results. The constant wrangles within the families typically illuminate lack of basic elements that has resulted into poverty. The curtain opens with Dave and Gaz without his son. The curtain then angles to provide a view of Gaz confronting his son to join their team (Holden et al). The typical rain curtain depicts the transition as the older one is replaced with a new material to depict movement. At that juncture, Gaze fantasy is almost coming true as they continue to act as gangbusters. The dim lighting and shady furniture show the depth of poverty by Gaz as he moves along the stage. It depicts him as being alone with nowhere to go. An old truck behind Gaz and as he talks to Dave gives an impression of a place with no productivity and progress.
The Full Monty story is all about movement and economy. A series of elements depicting the underdeveloped suburban homes are designed to provide a combination of varied fashions. The environment creates the cubist geometry out of rays of light in order to complete the stage picture and illuminate the themes which are all intended to produce a cinematic sense of movement. The plot of the story proves the designer skill to use a combining effect specifically in triggering the transitions and flooding the stage with diverse positions. The players in the story attempt to keep it real and human as possible. Using these customs, the designer of the play intended to tell the story of friendship, courage and family value. The customs used are relatively larger than life yet they are real. They exceptionally help to not only the theoretical aspects of play but also the themes (Holden et al).
As documented, it is a fact to believe that ninety percent of the costume that has been depicted in the play is to keep it as real as possible. The constant change in the costumes increases the tension and a strong stage picture of isolation and loneliness. The designer isolates each actor in each pool of down light to portray the different complicated patterns of dancing. The scenery and lightening exhaustively compliments one another at the final stage when the Dave, Nathan and Gerald finally make it on stage for a grand performance. At this point, the designer manages to depict the play to another level with a lot of excitement. Varied colors, patterns and movements are embalmed together to show the audience the real performance (Holden et al)
In conclusion, The Full Monty is a story of a star-studded cast. It has been played with greater enthusiasm and greater cast that brings it into lip-curling life. The story a fairground of fun and a naughty edge that manages to make life real in the lightest possible manner to all audience.
Work cited
Holden, Wendy, Anne Collins, and Simon Beaufoy. The Full Monty. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2001. Print.
