Cast members of The Full Monty perform their strip tease. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

        The show most likely to blight The Producers' run for a Tony record is The Full Monty, another show adapted from a movie.

        On screen Monty was a feel-good comedy about a bunch of working-class blokes who decide to try exotic dancing when they lose their jobs — so exotic they plan to strip to the skin (the full monty).

        In becoming a musical, the action has moved from Great Britain to Buffalo. Monty remains a feel-good show, but the stage version doesn't feel as innocently fresh as the movie.

        It feels like a show that was written for the box-office cha-ching. It's perfectly amiable, but amiable is all it is.

        The script is by the admirable Terrence McNally, who is capable of much more. Catchy pop songs are by Broadway newcomer David Yazbek, who does clever but not too-clever things with lyrics.

        It's engaging but never surprising. The North American tour started a couple of weeks ago in Toronto. Cincinnati can probably look for it in 2002-03.

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