Far from the ‘footy club ladies’ night’ vibe that many Aussie women are accustomed to, 'Magic Mike Live' is a slick, Vegas-style production that gave the thirsty crowd exactly what they came looking for.
Turning up the heat on a chilly Melbourne afternoon, the talented ensemble cast showed off their skills, grinding against every available inch of the incredible venue. Housed in the purpose-built Arcadia Spiegeltent, the production was immersive throughout, with performers taking to the stage, the balconies, the rigging, the tables and even the three-story bar to bust a move throughout the show.
Many audience members had arrived early to take advantage of the cocktail offerings – so the scene was set for a rowdy good time. Energy levels were high from the very beginning as our supposed MC took to the stage to get the party started – and while his style was exactly what the crowd were expecting from a seedy strip show, something just didn’t seem right in this 2021 setting. Rik Brown played the role of the misplaced MC fantastically, totally hamming up the seedy Matthew McConaughey-esque character with expert skill, dropping filthy, inappropriate puns left right and centre. The '90s-style offering didn’t last long though and soon our proper ‘hostess with the mostess’, the gorgeous, fun and perfectly cast Alexia Brinsley took over, steering the show the right direction.
Much like the film franchise that birthed the show, the storyline here was loose – but did that matter? Absolutely not. While the crowd certainly went along for the ride in watching the story of young ‘Mike’ become a skilled dancer, it was pretty darn clear (based on playful heckles from the crowd) that a journey of self-discovery wasn’t what they paid their ticket price to see. They wanted sexy bods, exceptional moves and a post-lockdown thrill that would get their heart racing – and that is exactly what this fabulous show delivered.
Image © Peter Brew-Bevan
It was more than 40 minutes into the show before we witnessed a bare bum, but with the talent on offer, nobody was complaining that the nudity hadn’t occurred sooner – though there certainly wasn’t any objection when it did appear! The production expertly created a safe space where the crowd of (mostly) women could let their hair down and have an absolute blast while knowing that there were comfortable boundaries in place. On the occasions where there was audience interaction, it was done with respect to audience members, and nobody was being pulled up to participate without complete consent – it was all round good, clean, consensual fun.
Do they go the full monty though? You’ll need to find that out for yourself – I can promise though, that things do get wet throughout, so if you’re seated near the front, perhaps bring a raincoat – or better yet, a change of clothes! Pack some throat lozenges too, because even if you’re not normally a screamer, this show will bring it out in you.
’Magic Mike Live’ is on at The Arcadia, Birrarung Marr (Melbourne) until 19 September. It hits Brisbane from November.
