Arts
Gary Lucy - The Full Monty
Norwich Theatre Royal
22/09/16
Get ready as one of the TV world’s most handsome actors is heading back to Norwich. Gary Lucy returns to the city to star in The Full Monty at the Theatre Royal from October 10-15, and Vicky Edwards caught up with him ahead of his arrival.
An invitation to sit in on a rehearsal of The Full Monty, Simon Beaufoy’s stage adaptation of his own phenomenally successful award-winning movie, is not something a girl gets every day. And when said invitation also includes joining the leading man, fit-as-a-butcher’s dog Gary Lucy, for a chat over lunch, it’s fair to say that this wannabe cougar was purring at full throttle.Without doubt the play is every bit as compelling as its movie counterpart, which tells of a group of Sheffield steelworkers who lose their jobs and resort to forming a Chippendale-esque group as a means of making a few quid. Having arrived at the start of the working day I quickly became so engrossed in watching the heart-breaking and hilarious antics of Gaz and the boys that I was astonished when lunchtime rolled around. I had happily whiled away the morning enjoying the play and, if truth be told, doing a fair bit of politically incorrect ogling.
“You really feel for these guys. All they knew was working in the steel works and when that was taken away from them they had nothing else,” said Gary, whose impressive array of screen credits include Danny in EastEnders, DS Fletcher in The Bill, Kyle Pascoe in Footballers’ Wives and Luke Morgan in Hollyoaks, a role that won him the title of Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards. But in recent times Gary – who was also crowned a champion in Dancing on Ice – has been committed to The Full Monty, with this tour marking his fourth outing in the play. As with the film, while the core storyline is rooted in men losing their pride as a by-product of losing their jobs, the Northern humour sparkles as beautifully as Mr Lucy’s eyes. “It is very funny,” agreed Gary, “but the characters all have their own stories. Gaz needs money to pay maintenance for his kid, but they all have their own problems.”
Freely admitting that, as his first stage role, it was something of a baptism of fire, Gary said: “It was a big challenge and quite scary, but what an opportunity! To play the lead in the stage production of such an iconic British movie was something I had to grab with both hands.” Quick to praise his fellow cast members, Gary told me that the actors coming to the show for the first time have fitted in seamlessly. “It’s a play that is all about camaraderie and friendship and we’ve really got that with this cast, which is brilliant. Jack Ryder [the former EastEnders star turned director] also has got great energy and great fresh ideas,” he nodded approvingly.
People sometimes get a bit more than they’ve paid for!
Observing that it’s just as well that Gary and his fellow cast members get on so well – the tour runs until April 2017 so they’ll be spending a lot of time together – Gary’s handsome face clouded for a moment. “Of course I miss my family,” he sighed [Gary and his wife have three children, the youngest just a year old], “but when you’re touring the time does go really quickly; this show is such a monster that you have to stay focussed and make sure that you give audiences the best experience possible. But after the last show of the week I usually get in my car and drive home wherever we are, so I do get back most weekends.” And becoming a dad has, Gary reckons, helped him with the role of Gaz. “As a family man, I know how Gaz feels because, as a dad, I have that point of reference. When you get older and gain more life experience you can draw on that as an actor.”
On the subject of appearing in his birthday suit, Gary laughed. “Listen, by the time we get to that point in the play we’re well up for it. We don’t think of it as an isolated moment; the whole play builds up to it.” And without giving too much away, Gary revealed that there are times when the lights – a major part of the final dance – can cause the boys to be exposed for a little longer than is altogether comfortable. “The audience is whipped to a frenzy and then there’s a point at the very end where, if the lighting cue goes wrong as it has done in the past, people get a bit more than they’ve paid for,” he chuckled.
Having toured already with the show, many of the theatres on the schedule are return matches that Gary and the team are looking forward to enormously. As he finished his lunch Gary confided that although The Full Monty is his stage debut, he can’t imagine ever being in another show that gives him such an adrenaline rush. “It gives me such a buzz and I really don’t think there will ever be a show to live up to it for me.” Hoping audiences go home with their cheeks aching from laughing, as we said goodbye Gary added: “It’s so rewarding to know that they have had a great time.”
I am happy to confirm that a great time is exactly what you’ll have. But be quick – tickets are selling fast. In fact, like the boys at the curtain call, they’ll be gone in a flash.
Catch The Full Monty at the Theatre Royal Monday 10th - Saturday 15th October at 7.30pm, and Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.