The Full Monty's Gary Lucy speaks ahead of Shrewsbury show

And when said invitation also includes joining the leading man, Gary Lucy, for a chat over lunch, we couldn't say no.

Without doubt, Simon Beaufoy's stage adaptation of his own phenomenally successful award-winning movie is every bit as compelling as its big screen counterpart. It tells of a group of Sheffield steelworkers who lose their jobs and resort to forming a Chippendale-esque group as a means of making a few quid. It arrives at Shrewsbury's Theatre Severn from Monday.

I quickly became so engrossed in watching the heart-breaking and hilarious antics of Gaz and the boys that I was astonished when lunchtime rolled around. I had happily whiled away the morning enjoying the play and, if truth be told, doing a fair bit of politically incorrect ogling.#

"You really feel for these guys. All they knew was working in the steelworks and when that was taken away from them they had nothing else," said Gary, whose impressive array of screen credits include Danny in EastEnders, DS Fletcher in The Bill, Kyle Pascoe in Footballers' Wives and Luke Morgan in Hollyoaks – a role that won him the title of Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards.

But in recent times Gary – who was also crowned a champion in Dancing on Ice – has been committed to The Full Monty, with this tour marking his fourth outing in the play.

As with the film, while the core storyline is rooted in men losing their pride as a by-product of losing their jobs, the northern humour sparkles.

"It is very funny," agreed Gary, "but the characters all have their own stories. Gaz needs money to pay maintenance for his kid, but they all have their own problems."

Freely admitting that, as his first stage role, it was something of a baptism of fire, Gary said: "It was a big challenge and quite scary, but what an opportunity. To play the lead in the stage production of such an iconic British movie was something I had to grab with both hands."

Quick to praise his fellow cast members, Gary told me the actors coming to the show for the first time have fitted in seamlessly.

"It's a play all about camaraderie and friendship and we've really got that with this cast, which is brilliant.

Observing that it's just as well Gary and his fellow cast members get on so well – the tour runs until April 2017 so they'll be spending a lot of time together – Gary's face clouded for a moment.

"Of course, I miss my family," he sighed. Gary and his wife have three children, the youngest just a year old. "But when you're touring the time does go really quickly; this show is such a monster that you have to stay focussed and make sure you give audiences the best experience possible. But after the last show of the week I usually get in my car and drive home wherever we are, so I do get back most weekends."

And becoming a father has, Gary reckons, helped him with the role of Gaz.

"As a family man I know how Gaz feels because as a dad I have that point of reference. When you get older and gain more life experience you can draw on that as an actor."

On the subject of appearing in his birthday suit, Gary laughed. "Listen, by the time we get to that point we're well up for it. We don't think of it as an isolated moment; the whole play builds up to it."

And without giving too much away, Gary revealed there are times when the lights – a major part of the final dance – can cause the boys to be exposed for a little longer than is altogether comfortable.

"The audience is whipped to a frenzy and then there's a point at the very end where, if the lighting cue goes wrong as it has done in the past, people get a bit more than they've paid for," he chuckled.

Having toured already with the show, many of the theatres on the schedule are return visits that Gary and the team are looking forward to enormously, though Shrewsbury is a new date. As he finished his lunch Gary confided that although The Full Monty is his stage debut, he can't imagine ever being in another show that gives him such an adrenaline rush. "It gives me such a buzz and I really don't think there will ever be a show to live up to it for me."

Hoping audiences go home with their jaws aching from laughing, as we said goodbye Gary added: "It's so rewarding to know that they have had a great time."

The Full Monty is at Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury from Monday until February 11. More details and tickets are available from www.theatresevern.co.uk

By Vicky Edwards