Going the Full Monty on a Monday at Leeds' Grand Theatre

Gary Lucy in The Full MontyThe Grand Theatre, Leeds

I don’t care how much you love your job, there are times when we could all do with a little cheering up on a Monday.

And what better way to start the week than with Simon Beaufoy’s anticipated stage adaptation of the cult 1997 movie The Full Monty?

Boasting a stellar cast of Hollyoaks and Emmerdale stars, including Gary Lucy, Louis Emerick and Joe Gill, we had a feeling we were in for a fun ride at t Leeds Grand. From the opening scenes, Lucy and co. had me and my date for the evening, City Buzz’s Emma Ryan in the palm of their hands, as they sprinkled humour, song and dance into what is essentially a rather bleak Yorkshire tale of unemployment.

Fans of the film will notice a few tweaks to the story, but all the main scenes are present and correct. From the hilarious audition where Horse steals the show, to the final act, care has been taken to pay homage to the source material, whilst keeping it fresh for the new generation.

The hits were there too, from Donna Summer’s Hot Stuff to Hot Chocolate’s You Sexy Thing. But of course, it was the Tom Jones classic which signalled the scene everyone is waiting for. I won’t say too much except it was a real crowd pleaser.