Megan Ellis - interview
- Hannah Crouch
- May 8
- 5 min read
Bringing the Aussie spirit and heaps of fun to see us into these summer months, Muriel's Wedding has made its UK debut in all its chaotic glory. At the Leicester Curve for its residency, the hopeless romantic seeks out the wedding of her dreams, but Muriel is missing one thing: the groom. The hit '90s screen comedy has been adapted to the stage, sticking to the much-loved script and embedded with ABBA tracks, alongside some original music to boost the theatrical feel.
Read my full review here:
Megan Ellis embodies this title role with a nuance that proves to be an excellent casting choice. Here, she gives an exclusive insight into her part as Muriel Heslop.
How does it feel to lead the UK premiere of this hit film adaptation as it takes to the stage?
It’s incredibly exciting and daunting as well. This is such a beloved film, and I feel a great responsibility to do right by Muriel fans! I never imagined I’d be originating something like this in the UK, and I feel extremely lucky, I’m having a complete blast doing it.
What makes Muriel's character so lovable to audiences?
I think there’s a part of Muriel in everyone. Everyone can see themselves reflected in her because at some point, we’ve all felt like an outsider, and even though she might do some reprehensible things in order to escape her circumstances, that desire for freedom and desperation to be loved is just so relatable for the audience. Plus, everyone loves an underdog!
How did you prepare to embody her personality, and how did this grow or change from rehearsal to performance?
I had already seen and loved the film in my teenage years, but I did watch it again before my audition. Having said that, I decided not to watch it again when I knew I would be doing the show. I wanted to make sure I captured the essence of Muriel, but wasn’t lifting anything directly from the film.
I wouldn’t be able to even touch the magic of Toni Collette’s performance, so all I could do was approach Muriel like I would any other character, take her circumstances, and her desires, and work from there. Then, with the creative team, we found organic moments to work in ‘Murielisms’ like her awkward tongue tick that worked for my version of her.
Working with this creative team was so brilliant, and they definitely helped guide me and cultivate my version of Muriel. It was about making sure all her eccentricities were rooted in complete honesty. She’s a real person, so I had to try to maintain her large and individual personality whilst keeping everything she does 100% believable.
Do you see any of yourself in Muriel, and what parts of her story feel most personal to you?
Oh, 100%! I definitely grew up in a small town, which felt inescapable at the time, and I dealt with the same sort of bullying at school that Muriel deals with at the top of the show. I was just lucky to have a much more supportive home life than she does.
That vulnerable child inside her that uses ABBA as an escape from her pain is something that I see in my teenage self, except I found my freedom in theatre. Also, that desire to recreate yourself over and over, the way she does, is something I think most actors can relate to.
Why do audiences enjoy the awkwardness and comedy mixed with an amusing story and the upbeat soundtrack?
I think that audiences, as I said, love an underdog. They love watching someone who’s trying and failing. Muriel is far from perfect but hopefully if I do my job well, you’re rooting for her anyway. And when you combine a character like her with such brilliant music, such an engaging story and such a vibrant and exciting set it’s hard to go wrong!
Since Muriel’s friendship with Rhonda is central to the story, what is it like building that chemistry together, and how has the cast bonded through the run so far?
It’s been completely joyous. Every member of this cast, Annabel [Marlow] included, is so funny, talented and individual. They each bring something that is completely inimitable to the story. When you’re creating something together, an immediate bond is formed, and I’m very grateful that every person I turn to look at in rehearsal and on stage is someone I know has my back with any choice I make in the moment.
Everyone is so good at focusing in and listening to each other, which is vital. I love all my scenes with Annabel; she’s so magnetic, and it’s very very easy to love her. I really haven’t had to do much work creating chemistry with her or any of the rest of the cast because we all have it in spades naturally. That’s the magic of good casting, I suppose!
How does the participation of audience members joining the stage as wedding guests add to the atmosphere?
It’s wonderful! That fizzy excitement an audience brings to the auditorium gets brought up on stage, and having that energy in the wedding scene only makes everything easier for me. It’s much easier to be overflowing with joy when you have excited people beaming back at you every night.
What are your favourite elements of the piece and why?
This is hard because it’s such a cohesive whole, it’s difficult to pick out anything specific, but I think for me, one element I love is all the new music we get to sing. It’s such an eclectic, fun and beautiful score; I feel very lucky to get to perform it every night. That, and recreating the iconic Waterloo moment which always feels thrilling every night!
If you could play any other character in the show for one night, who would it be and why?
I could never pull it off because Bronte Tadman does it so perfectly, but there’s something I find so delicious about Deirdre Chambers! She has some of the most fun costumes and lines in the show, she’s so wildly fabulous. She would be such a departure from playing Muriel too, but I don’t think I could ever do her justice the way Bronte does.
What would you love people to be saying to each other on their way out of the theatre?
I want people to be able to see themselves in the show. Besides hopefully having a joyful and raucous time and leaving full of laughter, I hope they leave feeling moved, represented on stage, and cherishing the bonds they have with their friends. Also wanting to give their mum a call too!
That concludes this wonderful interview with Megan. Huge thanks to this star for her participation!
Get your tickets to Muriel's Wedding here:
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