Arts & Attractions
Review
We spent a night at Magic Mike Live, and here’s why you need to see it
*open for a magical treat*
Before heading into The Arcadia, make sure you read our Magic Mike Live review.
After the year that we’ve had Melbourne, everyone deserves a treat. And a night at Magic Mike Live is exactly the cheeky delight you should be choosing.
Before even taking your seats, The Arcadia is ready to transport you into an alternate universe. We could spend hours talking about how stunning the venue looks in its current home at Birrarung Marr.
Unlike any venue you’ve ever stepped foot in, this Spiegeltent is the largest in the world – and has been custom made just for your Australian Magic Mike Live experience. From the attention to comfort and mood, to the intricate, little details throughout – this is a venue that was designed just for you.
Do yourself a favour and arrive early enough to spend some time lounging in one of the leather booths, sipping on a cocktail – it’s only fair that a queen starts their night off the right way.
When you think of Magic Mike, of course you think of sexy men and incredible dancing, but before stepping through the blue curtains that separate the lobby from the 360-degree performance space (more on that later), it’s time to throw away any preconceived ideas you might have.
If you’ve been to the theatre before, this isn’t that. Also, if you’ve been to any of those “popular” male revue shows – this is definitely not that either. However, if you’re expecting a night filled with more muslces than you can even conjure in your wildest dreams, you will be satisfied. But the best part is, Magic Mike Live is so much more.
We like to do our research, and a quick (or not so quick, spend as much time as you like) scroll through the cast bios gives a little insight into what makes Magic Mike Live so incredible – the performers are ridiculously talented.
They’ve worked with some of the world’s leading choreographers, danced alongside artists like Kylie Minogue, Rita Ora, Charli XCX, Guy Sebastian, Kelly Rowland, Snoop Dogg, Fergie, Usher, Katy Perry, Kesha, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, The Jonas Brothers, and Britney Spears, been in productions including The BodyGuard, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Experience, FAME: The Musical, West Side Story, Disney’s The Lion King and on TV shows such as The Voice, Australia’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, X Factor, The Masked Singer.
Yep. There is a whole load of talent squeezed into their divinely sculpted bodies.
Get to know some of the Magic Mike Live men:
The best way to enjoy Magic Mike Live is to not know too much before heading in, so don’t worry, there won’t be too many spoilers here.
While the men are the main attraction, this night is all about you. The show never takes itself too seriously, but it is straight to the point in its messaging about self-love, respect, comfort, and consent.
Maybe even sexier than the performers on stage, is the show’s underlying theme. They really do ring true to their “you can have everything you want” tagline. But it also works in reverse – you won’t have anything you don’t want forced upon you. That’s right, we’re talking about enthusiastic consent. Hyper aware of audience reactions and energy, you get to decide how close to the action you want to be – and if you’d much rather watch from a far, you can rest assured that your wishes will be respected. We don’t know about you, but we think that’s pretty sexy too.
Where women are too often told the opposite, stepping inside an environment that has been created with the idea of not only claiming but exploring and enjoying your sexuality is a pretty powerful experience. And we bet that this handpicked selection of beautiful men will leave you feeling empowered and seen.
We did say no spoilers, so we aren’t giving too much away, but what we can tell you is that Magic Mike Live is the sort of full-scale production that caters to every live entertainment taste.
The music moves from up-tempo hip hop to sensual R&B and everything in between. You’ll be serenaded by an incredible vocalist, marvel at dancers trained in every style from ballet to tap, jazz to breakdancing, and be awestruck by the energetic and engaging choreography. Oh, and then there are the aerial performances (cue ooh’s and aah’s), the stunning rain dance (cue more ooh’s and aah’s), and even a drummer ascending from the heavens (cue the audience wondering how this magical venue actually works). And that, our friends, is only a slice of the Magic Mike Live fantasy.
There might not be a single surface inside The Arcadia that remains untouched throughout the night. Performers move between the stage and the balconies, the bar, tables, the floor, podiums, ladders, railings, and more – ensuring that no matter where you’re seated, everyone is in the best seat in the house.
While we are here to enjoy the abundance of snacks dancing in front of us, what this show really needs is some divine feminine energy to shake things up – and that is where you’re fabulous MC comes into play. This is a show created by women for women after all, and whether it is the beautiful Amy Ingram or Alexia Brinsley taking centre stage, you bet these bold, hilarious, and sassy women will have you feeling at home in no time.
COVID Safety means the Australian Magic Mike Live experience is a little bit different than its international counterparts. Here there is less physical interaction between the crowd and performers, but that just means there is more room for looking – so you won’t hear any complaints from us.
Magic Mike Live is the cheeky, awe-inspiring, fun, sweet treat we all deserve right now. It’ll leave you feeling powerful, empowered, appreciated, entertained, and even a little sexier than you felt walking in.
In the words of our fabulous MC – “I hope you leave here feeling strong, sexy and powerful. Carpe dickums, my queens. Seize the dick.”
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Read more:
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- Magic Mike Live has landed in Melbourne, heading to Brisbane in 2021
- Magic Mike Live: Melbourne and Brisbane fans, the reviews are in
- Magic Mike Live’s Dayton Tavares on what to expect from the Australian production
- Five things you need to know before spending a night with Magic Mike Live in Australia
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Don’t just take it from us though, here’s what some ladies had to say:
“I loved it! I thought I’d enjoy it because of the gyrating shirtless men with great bodies, but I was actually super impressed with their athleticism, dancing, musical talent, acrobats – the whole package! The MC was also a highlight of the show, she was hilarious and made the night so much fun. I want to go again for my hen’s night!” – Jean
“It was just so much fun! The hot men were definitely a highlight, but the comedy, the MC, the music, the cocktails, the dance moves just made it such a fun night!” – Jamie
“I loved the show as it empowered women and showed us lots of very talented men who can do everything – dancing, singing, playing drums, and, of course, take their clothes off. The purpose-built venue only added to the experience; I thoroughly enjoyed my whole night – from entering the tent to enjoying a MML cocktail and watching the whole performance. Good luck for the rest of the season!” – Cinzia
“The Arcadia is spellbinding – it’s a state of the art, piece of engineering perfection.
The bespoke built, glass fronted Spiegeltent lures you in and plunges you into another reality. There really is simply more to love about this venue, and she very nearly steals the show!
The performers are elite, masters of their craft. Most classically trained with en-pointe precision, their performance prowess elevates this show to the next level of entertainment.
There is more than meets the eye-candy with this flirty, rich, and diverse cast. You want dancing? You got it! Singing? Yep! Tap dancing? Sure! Aerial feats, drumming, singing? Tick, tick, tick!
Magic Mike Live is no ordinary show! It’s a powerful parade that sparks joy, wonder, and excitement AND provides multiple OMG’s. It’s like an expedition, with the audience guided through the minefield of surprises by MC Amy, a seriously sassy and relatable leader who superbly reigns in her men, teaching us all about empowerment, respect and consent along the way.” – Lucy
“Absolutely LOVED Magic Mike Live! It totally blew my mind and all of my expectations. The purpose-built venue has the WOW and OMG factor, and is the most wonderous portal into the magical world of Mike and his friends.
My face genuinely hurts from the constant LOLs, and I lost my voice from all the squealing, screaming, whooping, and hollering. While I went with my girl gang, it’s definitely not just limited to women…lots of men in the crowd were loving life too.
One of the things I enjoyed the most, aside from the singing, comedy, and the hot as hell and extremely talented dancing, was the fact that this is a celebration of women’s empowerment and desire.
It’s hands down the best show I have seen in…forever and I’ll definitely be going back for seconds, and maybe even more! In a world with constant challenges, this is the light relief, fun and of course, MAGIC we all need!” – Judy
Magic Mike Live is now showing in Melbourne. It will head to Brisbane this November. Tickets to the Melbourne and Brisbane seasons are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.au.
