Interview with Julie Yammanee, Magic Mike Live

Interviews

14 Aug

Magic Mike Live has been delighting older audiences with its electric 360-degree live entertainment experience based on the hit films Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL, where its made its home in London since 2012. Now with an international tour about to launch, beginning at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre this summer, we caught up with Julie Yammanee to find out more about this show.

1. The MC in Magic Mike Live is a pivotal role in the show. It requires a commanding presence and extremely sharp comedic timing. How do you think your extensive musical theatre background has prepared you for this role?

Gosh, great question. Most of the roles I have done in Musical Theatre have been the comedic parts, so that’s a good start, I guess. I’m also a clown in my close friend groups, so it’s like I’m extending that part of me out into an audience.

Also in musical theatre you train to sing, dance and act at the same time. An enormous amount is happening at once, but your job is to make all of it look completely easy, natural and like you don’t need air to breathe after a huge dance number and that the sweat on your face is merely your highlighter glowing under the lights.

This role requires a similar skill, but in a completely different way. There’s so much happening simultaneously, except now I’m also reading and feeling the crowd, guiding them through the show while essentially being their bestie, having a laugh and taking the piss, whilst still staying true to the direction and the script.

All parts of your brain are fully fired the entire time.

Above all, I think the thing that connects the two worlds is being as genuine as possible. Audiences feel that, and their feedback is instant.

Every audience has its own personality, and over the course of the night we get to know one another. It’s fascinating. I don’t think you ever stop learning, and it’s constantly different.

2. Is this strong skill set something that comes naturally to you, or is crowd work a muscle you’ve had to intentionally build for the MC?

As much as I’m naturally quite a shy person, I LOVE making people laugh and having a good time. But above all, nothing beats genuinely connecting with people.

Life can be so weird, dark and complex that I think having a good time together and connecting through joy is genuinely important for our mental and physical health. We need more of that, and this show is pure joy to the max with some extremely talented hot men. Double whammy.

*Rendition of Aylesbury's transformation for the upcoming show*

3. This international tour consists of the biggest cast to date, what has been your favourite part of the rehearsal process so far with everyone? And is there a specific moment you’re excited for audiences to witness?

These wonderful, ridiculously talented men now get to use this huge stage to the absolute max. They FLY! And having a cast this big means you get to see even more of them doing completely insane things.

Their individual skills and tricks are being utilised to the max. The strength, stamina and talent are extraordinary, and watching that many world-class performers absolutely kill it together is breathtaking.

They say bigger is better and, honestly, when it comes to this production, it is.

I genuinely cannot wait for audiences to experience what I’m experiencing in the rehearsal room. The creatives are so smart. There’s an enormous amount of care, creativity and precision behind everything they do. They watch every detail with an eagle eye. I am obsessed with Alison and Luke’s talents. They are geniuses and also wonderful human beings.

My favourite part might genuinely be going home after rehearsals thinking, “How the fk am I part of this show? I am so lucky I get to watch that every day.” That’s how good it is.

4. Magic Mike is a world renowned production. In your opinion, what makes the international tour uniquely special?

It’s bigger, it’s brand new, and the talent is unmatched. Also, they have the best people from many Magic Mike productions all around the world. Australia, Berlin, Las Vegas, London. Even they say this production/version is incredible. Says a lot already.

They’ve taken something that already works incredibly well and created something fresh and current from it. That makes it exciting not only for audiences who have never seen Magic Mike Live, but also for people who already know and love the show.

There really isn’t anything else like this out there.

*London production image of Magic Mike Live.*

5. Arguably, the MC has the most important job in the show, leading the audience through the production while also going on her own journey. As a performer, how have you found that balance between narrator and character?

Oooo, the pressure is there, but our director Alison has a very clear vision which helps enormously. For me, the most important thing is knowing the structure of the show as well as I possibly can, because the more secure I am in that, the freer I am to actually feel and work with the audience without worrying about what comes next.

My role is ultimately about connection. So the challenge is finding the most genuine version of myself within the text and bringing that to the audience.

The role is designed to be incredibly personal, so the line between “character” and myself is so thin it’s basically nonexistent. That has been such a fascinating and liberating process so far. And because every audience is different, I imagine that journey is going to keep evolving every single night.

6. Promoted as the ultimate girls' night out, the show is also extremely empowering for women and having a female MC plays a major part in creating that subversion and creating that safe space to express sexuality. As an actor, how have you tackled holding this responsibility for a large, varying audience?

Oooo, well said. One of the things that surprised me most when I first saw the show was how safe I felt and how massively rooted in girlhood the whole experience is.

I later learned how important that was to Channing Tatum when creating Magic Mike Live, and I think they really achieve it. Having our director Alison at the helm of this production brings another brilliant female perspective to that too. There is so much thought and care behind MML from casting to end product.

The script really feels like you’re with your best mates having the best night together. As the MC, I feel like this role lives somewhere between pissing about with your mates, going on this journey together and giving everyone permission to let loose and enjoy themselves.

There’s something really special about the way women connect when we’re together. The stories we collectively understand, the way we laugh and the level of fun we can have. Those nights can stay with you for years.

Magic Mike Live takes that feeling and puts it on a massive scale, while also being extremely entertained by some extraordinarily hot and talented men. And you know what, we fkn deserve it.

7. There are new routines and costumes in this production. Is there anything new that you’re particularly excited about unveiling to new audiences?

OMGGGG. My costume is so unbelievable!

It’s different from the other productions, and when they showed me the design I genuinely gasped and did a victory dance in my seat. I feel bonita, and another word I probably can’t say here.

Costume aside, I’m stupidly excited for people to experience this production and hopefully have one of the best nights of their lives. I say that with my full chest because we’re only in rehearsals and I am already SHOOK.

Anyone who comes to see it is going to be blown away. I feel very confident saying that because I’ve been living it every day in that rehearsal room and somehow it just keeps getting better.

Julie Yammanee stars in the International Tour of Magic Mike Live, beginning at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from 27 August. For further information visit the Magic Mike Live website.