Interview: Aidan MacColl On Making His West End Debut In POP OFF, MICHAELANGELO!

The high-camp musical comedy that stole the Fringe makes its limited West End debut season at underbelly Boulevard from 17 May - 13 July.

Pop Off, Michaelangelo! tells the story of best-pals-turned-bitter-rivals Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. A bloodthirsty friar is on the hunt for homosexuals in Renaissance Italy at the exact moment when childhood friends Mike and Leo realise they both like boys. Terrified, they devise a foolproof plan to gain God’s forgiveness: they simply need to become the greatest religious artists of all time.

BroadwayWorld caught up with Aidan MacColl, who is reprising his role as Leonardo Di Vinci, to chat about making his West End debut in Pop Off, Michaelangelo!

What is the story of Pop Off, Michaelangelo! ?

It is a buddy comedy about Michaelangelo and Leonardo Di Vinci and its about them realising that they're gay. They decide they have to get to the Pope so that God will forgive them for being gay and they're going to do that by being the best artists that they can be and the best artists of the Renaissance. 

And you performed in the show at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer?

Yes and it was amazing. It came about so randomly and when I got the sides through for the audition I was like "oh no" because its FILTHY. We made the show so quickly, we only had ten days. We did it and it just became a success and it started to sell out every night and people were queuing for merch out in the street.

How much has the show changed since Fringe?

It's changed completely. There's a new cast which is great and we've got a celeb [Michael Marouli- RuPaul’s Drag Race UK finalist] which is cool. There are new characters and new songs. It's really fun and really exciting but it has been hard in rehearsals because your muscle memory goes back to the old version a lot. Me and Max [Eade] who plays Michaelangelo, a lot of our scenes are together and we'll say the old lines and we keep getting noted for it but we keep doing it anyway. 

Originally there was one female-identifying person who played all of the female-identifying tracks. When we did it at The Other Palace in November they split that into two tracks and they've kept that for this version.

We were quite restrained at the Fringe because you've got that one-hour slot and it obviously affects the shows coming in after you. This version is 80 minutes straight through and Dylan [MarcAurele] had written the original version but been told it could only be an hour for the Fringe. 

How are you feeling about your West End debut?

Excited! Scared! I'm really happy that its with this show and this creative team and Max. It couldn't be happening with a better group of people. 

What's it like working with an intimacy coordinator?

I'd never done that before. When I was at drama school I trained before the Me Too movement was a thing and before the world changed. Intimacy coordination is still quite a new thing in the industry. When I was at drama school whenever it came to a kiss or holding hands or a hug they'd just be like 'dae it' and you had to do it and that's it. And it was awful, it was horrendous. People can be lovely about it but it's awkward and it's not natural.

The intimacy coordinator is also our choreographer and her name's Sunny and she is just wonderful. They're also basically an advocate for you in the room so if the director wants something she can say no on your behalf. We had a session today where I had to kiss someone but before that, we did some workshopping where we were like "this is my green zone, this is my red zone" but we were just laughing about it because its so unnatural. Being an actor you've got to look into someone's eyes all the time and that prolonged eye contact where you've also got to step into someone's personal bubble is so awkward. You've only met someone two weeks ago and now you're like "I'm in love with you and let's sing this song about it and then make out". 

It's just been the best thing ever having someone that's an advocate and made it really comfortable and really safe. We have signals on stage where if someone offers a hand and they don't take it that means we're not doing the kiss. There's no pressure which is really nice and that's changed a lot since I graduated.

How are rehearsals going- I heard you had a wee accident?

I've had three accidents since I've been here! First day got here and woke up and couldn't hear and had to go and get my ears drained. I think something happened on the plane. Then I fell at rehearsals, we were singing a song and I was giving it the beans and everyone was laughing and clapping and I was really getting into it and I stepped forward and literally flew and Max caught me. I hurt my neck but I'm absolutely fine. I had to get physio but its fine. Then today I cracked my tooth before I had to kiss a boy! My character is quite clumsy as well and very neurospicy so half the time I don't reallyfeel like I'm acting.

How well represented do you think Scottish talent is in London?

I think it's getting better than it has been but it's not there yet. The really special thing about this show is that everyone is using their natural accents. I'm using a Glaswegian accent and that's been really funny because our book writer is from America and I'll say to him all the time "This is exactly how you imagined Leo in your head isn't it?" and I don't think he'd ever met a Scottish person before he met me. 

Sometimes it gets a little tiring having to slow down and Anglify yourself a bit. Not from the room but I've had a lot of people doing my accent back to me and I think that's really boring. I think there could be more support in general for people that aren't from London and I think the business is quite London-centric and its really hard.

How are you getting on living in London? Because you've just extended the show through to 13 July as well.

If I'm being completely honest I cried about it today. But only because I miss my husband and my cat. I'm living my dream and doing what I always wanted to do but its just so hard being away from home, living in someone else's space and its so expensive. There's good and bad days!

Who would you recommend comes to see Pop Off, Michaelangelo! ?

Anyone who's a part of the LGBTQAI+ community or an ally. Or anyone who is a musical theatre fan, there are a lot of niche deep-cut pop culture references and drag race jokes. I think the age limit is 14+. 

There's a lot of queer theatre out there but in my experience, a lot of queer theatre has been harrowing sad stories but this is just joy. This is a celebration of being queer. The message of the show is just that its fine to be yourself and it's very special to be a part of.