Production to expose big picture of Full Monty

David Artis is presenting The Full Monty at Amdram. Photo / Paul Brooks

Mention the film or play The Full Monty and most people are immediately reminded of a particular scene. But it's a lot more than that, and David Artis is hoping people look at the big picture when they audition this Sunday or when they come and see the play being performed.

The play is about a group of unemployed Sheffield steel workers looking for a way to provide for their families and restore their self respect. What they end up doing is a far cry from their former jobs and not exactly what their wives and partners envisaged them doing. But they do it, and it's great theatre.

David is a UK import and Britain is where he cut his showbiz teeth. He's been here 32 years and worked in theatre in Hamilton before coming to Whanganui about 15 months ago where he and partner Sarah Brierley have set up shop as ACTivate Performance Studio, where David teaches acting and performance skills.
Now, with the assistance of Amdram, he wants to direct The Full Monty on the Amdram stage.
"Graham Dack [Amdram president] has been incredibly supportive," he says.
With the blessing of the Amdram board, David wants to use the technical expertise of the Amdram crew to help stage The Full Monty.

Last week he held an interest evening at which about 20 people attended, and it was live streamed to another 40 or so. It was to gauge interest and answer any questions before this Sunday's auditions.
"I'm hoping. I've got one shot at casting this," he says.

David's background is 43 years in theatre, about half of that professionally, he says. "Mainly musicals.
"I've been lucky enough to have done 15 films, six of those with David Arnold, who is the James Bond composer, and with Danny Cannon, who has done Gotham, CSI, all that. It was a lot of Danny's younger work before he went off to Hollywood: East End gangster stuff, which I love."

David has also presented The Full Monty in the UK and in Hamilton.
"What I love about it ... is the power of the women in the show." He says it's the conflict between the laid-off steelworkers and their wives which is the powerhouse of the show.
He says he's looking for a cast of about 18. "What I'm looking for is pliability: I'm not expecting people to turn up and be superstars on the stage. What I want, firstly, is commitment, obviously, but secondly, I want to be able to make them grow and present these people as living and real. That's part of what I do — I teach performance. As I told them at the information evening, we have some fun with it, but there will be a lot of hard work.
"I think it will be good for people who like to do their theatre, to have a chance to do something that will take them beyond where they thought they could ever be. One of the joys when I do one-on-one training, is to work with them and have that moment where they do something, say something or feel something that they never thought they could."
He says he's been here long enough now so it's time to "hoof into" one of his favourites.
"And Amdram is a lovely theatre for this show."

Auditions are this Sunday, July 31, from 10am at Amdram Theatre in Guyton St. To book an audition slot for The Full Monty contact David Artis 027 879 0876.