The best thing about the splashy new production of The Full Monty currently playing at the brand new Drury Lane Theatre at Water Tower Place is the amount of fun the cast seems to be having onstage. Part of the rash of new Broadway musicals of the last decade based on popular movies (which run from the ridiculous Urban Cowboy to the innovative Lion King), The Full Monty is not a particularly great show. But it can be fun, and the great cast under the direction of Jim Corti makes certain that the audience is having as good a time as they are

sported our group of down-on-their-luck heroes to Buffalo, New York. The location transfer allows for a score by David Yazbek that is catchy in its banality. By mimicking the type of music piped into the workplaces of America, it is both authentic and unimaginative. If anything, it is a living demonstration of how far the American pop idiom has fallen. But the score really isn't the point here...and it really only feels intrusive when McNally's plot adaptation of the 90-minute film is obviously stretched out to fit the standard 150-minute Broadway run time. Particularly in the first act, there are nice-enough numbers that are, in a word, superfluous.

Zielinski is charismatic as the producer of the show trying to prove to his ex-wife that he can be responsible. The other five guys are more quirky...and at the rehearsals, commented on by retired showbiz matron and pianist, Jeanette (Renee Matthews), The Full Monty comes to life. The rehearsal scenes are sweet and hilarious as shy Malcolm (Jason Bayle), loony Ethan (the terrific James A. Berry) and "Horse" (Berwick Haynes)...no explanation required...gare taught to dance and strip by a former factory executive, Harold (Michael Accardo) who is also out of work. Michael Linder as Dave, Jerry's heavyset best friend, has some of the funniest moments as he learns to be sexy with a body that is, well, not our current ideal of male beauty.

However, by far the funniest element of the funniest scenes of The Full Monty is Renee Matthews hysterical portrayal of the hard-drinking, chain-smoking Jeanette. With quips like "People who go into show business should be spayed" and a song, "Jeanette's Showbiz Number" with the boys, Matthews brings some genuinely funny zest to this good-natured show. It's a testament to how thoroughly Matthews steals the show that by her character's final scenes at Sunday's matinee, the audience cheered and clapped simply for her walking onstage

The Full Monty is, in the end, a good natured musical that stretches its source, a sweet and knowing British comedy, nearly to the breaking point, but not quite. The songs may be forgettable, but this cast isn't. Best of all, it's fun

Highly Recommended.

brandon@chicagocritic.com for comments