Simon Beaufoy’s The Full Monty is back in Milton Keynes from Monday (Oct 3), with an all-star cast of small screen favourites bringing the story to life.
The British film about six out-of-work Sheffield steelworkers with nothing to lose took the world by storm upon its release, nearly 20 years ago.
It’s still a smash today, and ticket sales at MK Theatre have been swift.
Before the curtain rises on The Full Monty, Louis Emerick (who played Mick Johnson in Brookside, and PC Walsh in Last of the Summer Wine), went On Stage with Total MK, sharing his theatre memories and hopes with us…
Tell us about your first memory of the theatre
My first experience was going to see the panto every year. My first one was Jack and the Beanstalk
And the moment when you realised the theatre was your calling
When I appeared in my first Am Dram production, so quite early on
Any dreadful calamities, or funny happenings on stage that you would care to share with us?
In my third professional production “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” I was giggling so much I had to leave the scene! The lead actor was Mark Rylance.
Which stage actor, living or dead, would you most like to meet, and what question would you ask them?
Sydney Poitier – “How, if at all, have times changed for black actors?”
Do you have any superstitions, or pre-performance routines?
None at all
The best piece of advice given to you when you started in the business
There are no small parts, only small actors
What do you think has been your steepest learning curve
Learning to live with rejection. It’s a difficult thing to get used to, but you have to as an actor.
How do you fill your spare time while on tour
I like to explore each city we go to on tour and we’re going to so many amazing places this time round
Nerves or excitement? Which takes over just before the curtain rises?
Good nerves: a mixture of nerves and excitement
How can the future of theatre be safeguarded? What would you do to entice new blood to audiences?
Panto is vital to new blood! It’s probably the first time actors get to experience live theatre professionally
And plug The Full Monty! Why should Milton Keynes folks take a ticket to see it?
It’s a great story and all of the themes that are touched on are still so relevant today.
It’s told with lots of pathos and wit and this time round it’s delivered by an excellent cast, if I do say so myself!
To book tickets visit here
