THE Hippodrome was packed to the rafters for the first night of The Full Monty in Bristol; and rightly so, because the play, based on the 1997 film of the same name, deserves to pull the punters in.

For those who haven’t seen the film, this stage adaptation by Simon Beaufoy is based on his screenplay about a group of unemployed steel workers from Sheffield who, out of sheer desperation, form a troupe of male strippers.

From Lomper’s attempted suicide to the sabotage of Gerald’s interview, there are many moments in The Full Monty that reflect the desperation and despair of Northern life in Margaret Thatcher’s Britain. However, it did feel like many in the audience had forgotten the often sad and heart-rending moments of the film and were interested in one thing and one thing only - the ‘get ‘em off! moment at the end!

Although I struggled to understand Gary Lucy’s accent at first, the casting for this production was particularly impressive, and special mentions must go to Louis Emerick as ‘Horse’ and Rupert Hill as ‘Guy’, who both produced hilarious audition dances (much to the delight of the crowd), aswell as to Bobby Schofield, who was fantastic as ‘Lomper’.

The set has not changed a great deal from previous tours but is just as impressive now as it has always been, evoking an entire era with a few steel girders, some plastic chairs (and not forgetting the bust of Margaret Thatcher with chewing gum on her nose!).

However, it is almost impossible for fans of the film to be disappointed in the play, as many of the important scenes and choreography remain intact.

It’s a long wait before the final strip but the cast has such a great chemistry, it is the build-up the makes the wait worthwhile.

The Full Monty is one of the most emotive and wittiest plays around. Sadly, however, it suffers from something of an identity crisis. Would I go and see it again? Absolutely!

The Full Monty is on tour at the Bristol Hippodrome until April 18.