Cast 'devastated' by news of Full Monty closure

Olivier Award-nominated show The Full Monty is closing at the Noel Coward Theatre on 29 March 2014, nearly three months before its scheduled date.

The show, adapted from the hit 1997 film by screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, premiered to rave reviews at Sheffield Theatres last year and arrived in the West End last month following a regional tour.

The original cast – Kenny Doughty (Gaz), Craig Gazey (Lumper), Simon Rouse (Gerald), Keiran O'Brien (Guy), Roger Morlidge (Dave) and Sidney Cole (Horse) – have all reprised their roles in the West End.

Doughty revealed the news of the closure via Facebook, writing:

"I’m devastated and heart broken.

Yesterday, on the day we had two full houses and two standing ovations. In the week our play got an Olivier nomination we were given the shocking news that the play is being pulled.

We were summoned to a full company call on stage immediately after curtain call – you could still hear the whoops and cheers from the audience behind the curtain as the producer gave us our two weeks' notice. I am utterly devastated not only for myself but for every single soul that has given their all for this play. I am so incredibly proud of this play and everybody in the Full Monty company. We delivered night after night. The audiences loved it. We got amazing reviews. An Olivier nomination.

So it’s with a heavy heart that I announce that the final show of The Full Monty in the West End will be Saturday 29 March.

We deserved better."

The production is due to recommence its UK tour in September with a new cast.

UPDATE: Producers David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers commented: "It is with great sadness that this show will close despite having played to packed houses on its UK tour. Simply not enough of a West End audience shared in the excitement of this terrific production."