So in case you missed it Magic Mike Live is coming to London. Have you been living under a rock? HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW? Anyway, as a pole dancer, a fan of out-there choreographies and of big muscly dudes I’m OBVIOUSLY an expert in this field and have a lot of expectations. Here they are.
Magic Mike – The Movies
I had written off Magic Mike XXL for a while until I became a pole dancer and all my friends were like: “WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU. WATCH IT. NOW.” My friends are obviously clever people and I now watch Magic Mike XXL as often as some people go to church.
It’s not just that I’m very single. For someone who enjoys slightly raunchy choreographies to bangers and hit songs, Magic Mike XXL is a funny, entertaining movie with dancers who blow your mind every time.
Magic Mike – The Show
The movie’s main actor, Channing Tatum, turned the movie into a live show for Las Vegas and he’s now bringing it to London’s Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square. Conceived and co-directed by Tatum, Magic Mike Live is a huge live production show based on the movies. It launches on Wednesday 28 November 2018. Here are some pics from Vegas to get you through the day.
The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino will be transformed into a magical, intimate, 325-seat performance space for Magic Mike Live. The show’s promoters promise that a group of extraordinary artists will perform a 360-degree dances and acrobatic numbers in front of, behind, and above the crowd.
The show has been hailed as “the modern strip show we deserve” by USA Today and celebrated as “the show that has everything you could ever want” by Glamour UK. So naturally I have expectations.
What I’m Expecting From Magic Mike Live London
Pony
Is it Magic Mike without Pony? I don’t think so.
Choreo Inspo
After the initial shock of seeing male strippers love the floor and body roll better than me, I’ve started seeing Magic Mike as a choreo inspo sesh. Tatum especially is the main guy to follow in terms of acro/breakdance style stuff. He said he needs to shape up before going back on stage, but he is choreographing the show so I’m hoping for a routine inspo top-up.
Some form of Backstreet Boys Striptease. Please.
One of my favourite scenes in Magic Mike XXL is Joe Manganiello’s convenience store striptease to Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way. I know Joe won’t be gracing the London stage, but a scene like that is precisely why Magic Mike is so hilarious: it doesn’t take itself seriously.
Some Cray Cray Acro Lap Dance
After Magic Mike XXL’s All The Time/Cookie lap dance my bar has been set very high. Channing Tatum has told Cosmo that apparently your chances of getting pulled up on stage increase if 1) You are not drunk and 2) You’re wearing pants. Which would makes sense, if this were to happen.
So leave your skirts at home.
Nice Guys… For A Change
Tatum told Cosmo that to be in the cast you’ve got to be a nice guy.
“It’s tough to give a lap dance. It’s an intimate thing and I really believe that it intrinsically comes through if you’re a good person or not. You gotta love your mama and just really have a healthy point of view on women and what a man is supposed to be with, and for, a woman, because if the respect isn’t there it just won’t be there in the performance.”
This emphasis on respect and boundaries is quite heartwarming, especially in recent times.
I think this was also one of my favourite things about Magic Mike XXL – they tried to make the performances like a gift for women looking for fun or for some appreciation as opposed to a creepy thing. Which might not work IRL but I’m hoping for it to work at Magic Mike Live London, especially since we’re entering my birthday season, jussayin’. #pullmeuponstagepleasethankyou
Show Info
Magic Mike Live in London is co-directed by Channing Tatum and Alison Faulk, with Teresa Espinosa as associate director, and choreographed by Alison Faulk, Teresa Espinosa and Luke Broadlick.
Magic Mike Live
The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino, Cranbourn Street
Leicester Square
London WC2H 7JH
Performances:
- Tuesday to Sunday 7.30pm and Thursday to Sunday 10.00pm
- Ticket Prices: from £29.00 including booking fees
- Current Booking Period: to 27 October 2019 (was initially until 29 April, but the show sold so well they’ve extended its run)
- Running Time: approximately 90 minutes
- Magic Mike Live guests must be at least 18 years to attend – appropriate photo ID will be requested on arrival at the venue.
