The Full Monty

Jim and I went to see the Oakland’s The Full Monty this weekend, and my recommendation is to get your tickets while you can! From what I’ve seen, they’re going fast. I believe four out of five shows (Mother’s Day being the only exception) sold out.

For me, there are many reasons to see a show at the Oakland. I don’t expect Broadway; I do expect fun local theater that is in turns profound and profaine, and I’m never disappointed. Now, perhaps I’m a little biased because I’ve met a couple of guys in the cast, and because I know, through other friends, how much work went into the show, but I wasn’t bothered by the flaws that The Vindicator reviewer pointed out.

I know that I laughed a lot and so did the people around me. It was a packed house, and from an audience member’s perspective, the energy level remained consistent throughout the show. Everyone was having a good time.

There were some really memorable moments in The Full Monty, in addition to the ending (wink, wink). The musical number, “Big Ass Rock,” was a high point, as were the “audition” scenes. Unlike The Vindicator reviewer, I enjoyed the creative use of the urinal (at one point it was filled with a fern and in another scene it held a funeral wreath); it was a distinctly Oakland flair.

My purpose here isn’t to write a review or to review the reviewer, but rather, I’d simply like to point out that sometimes a traditional viewing of a non-traditional venue doesn’t serve the community or the audience well.

In a community that has a playhouse, a symphony, a Powers Auditorium, and a university theater program, the Oakland provides something a little different: left of center, off the beaten path, the road not taken (to be all Robert Frost about it). It is this distinct personality that makes the Oakland the Oakland. Perhaps it isn’t for everyone, but the the up-and-comingness and radicalism of the Oakland are its unique characteristics.