Frances Mayli McCann told David Hennessy about the new musical You & It which deals with themes like AI and grief.
Frances Mayli McCann has been Olivier nominated for her work in Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour.
She has also been given the nod for a WhatsOnStage award for Best Performer in a Musical for playing Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde.
Frances made her West End debut in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Other credits include Evita, Les Miserables, Heathers and The Great Gatsby.
She is currently appearing in You & It, the award-winning South Korean musical, at The King’s Head Theatre in London.
You & It is a story of AI, loss and love.
The story is centred around a grieving widower who meets an artificial intelligence built in his late wife’s image.
The story deals with themes of confront grief, memory, and what it truly means to be human.
It has been well received in Asia and Edinburgh Fringe.
Frances is joined on the cast by rising star Zachary Pang.
Born in Glasgow, Frances has Irish on her father’s side. She is married to the actor Christopher Chung.
Frances took time to chat to the Irish World.
How are the rehearsals going so far?
“It’s been fun and a totally different rehearsal experience for me in contrast to other shows that I’ve done because it’s a two hander so there’s only two of us on stage the whole time.
“Also the musical’s come from South Korea so we’ve had time to navigate through that and make sure that it sits right for us so we’ve really got the chance to make it our own.
“And Esther (Jun), our director, has just been really amazing in that she lets us collaborate and have a voice in the room, and some shows you don’t. You’re just told what to do and what their vision is and you do it whereas getting to be part of the creation of this version is really nice.”
Were you familiar with You & It before getting the chance to be part of it?
“Yeah, I’ve seen the show in various versions over the past couple of years.
“My husband was part of a workshop of it in London maybe two or three years ago and I really liked the concept of it, the AI obviously because it’s so prevalent in our society today.
“Then I saw a Korean version at the Edinburgh Fringe a couple of years ago and then it was different again from the workshop.
“It’s nice that it’s having this evolution and even now the version we are doing is different from the two that I’ve seen previously so it’s nice to be telling essentially the same story but not exactly the same.”
It is such a timely play for dealing with themes of AI, do you think it will bring up a lot of questions that are on people’s minds at the moment?
“Yeah, absolutely and I think that’s why I say it’s not a timeless piece because it’s very of the moment because who knows where AI is going to, where technology is going to go in the next 10 years?
“It’s quite scary how fast technology is moving forward so it doesn’t feel far fetched.
“It could very possibly happen and it’s just an interesting piece in that sense whereas it feels very current.”
Grief is a big part of it and a central question seems to be if AI could recreate a version of a lost loved one, who could be blamed for wanting it but how would it affect the grieving process?
“Yeah, absolutely.
“That’s probably one of if not the core theme of the show.
“It’s how Gyugin deals with grief.
“I think that’s one of the questions we want the audience to leave asking themselves: What would you do in that situation if you had the opportunity? Would you have that loved one brought back in an AI form if you could or is it going to stop you from being able to move on?
“We definitely feel his conflict in the room at points.
“You think, ‘Gosh, it’s so difficult. How do you navigate that whole process?’
“But then grief is so hard that he has this opportunity so he takes it.
“I think that’s definitely something we want the audience to leave feeling: Whose side are you on?”
Are you having discussions about all of these things in the rehearsal room? I can imagine it could bring up a lot..
“Yeah, absolutely.
“We’re having conversations about grief.
“Obviously there’s stages of grief but everyone experiences it and processes it in different and unique ways.
“It’s not just universal that you’ll feel A, B, and C so it’s an experience for us to explore how these characters deal with it and how we’ll deal with it and whether it’s relatable to them, to us, to the audience, which I’m sure it is.
“I’m sure everyone sadly has felt it at some point in their life but then exploring AI, would you go to that step if you could?”
You play Mina which is Gyugin’s late wife but aren’t you playing an AI representation of her? Is that difficult?
“It is and it isn’t.
“It’s about an hour and a half all the way through so you really embark on this rollercoaster ride with these characters.
“There’s no interval, just straight through so you’re there throughout their whole emotional journey.
“You see them in their lives together: Happily married, this perfect life.
“Then obviously there’s an accident and she’s back in the form of AI.
“There’s a fine line between being Mina as she was before, which I get to in places, and then obviously she’s going to have some glitches and I think that’s a really interesting arc for me.
“She goes on this whole journey but it’s one I’ve never played before because it’s a robot.
“I think what’s fun about it is just having a bit of a language with the body language and just little hints, nothing too obvious and nothing that feels so ridiculous but just little hints that her physicality lends to being an AI, just to show the difference in the two characters, her two versions.”
You spoke about seeing previous versions and workshops of this story. It’s been a big success, are you trying to keep the magic of those previous productions while also making it your own?
“Oh yeah, absolutely.
“I think with shows like this, you absolutely have to keep the heart of the story because that’s what has made it so successful.
“The story itself is something new which I don’t think I’ve seen or heard of before so it’s a very unique story.
“Also with it being from South Korea, they have a very unique sound.
“It doesn’t sound like Les Mis or all these classic musicals, it feels very new and current but also unpredictable.
“But we want to keep the story in the heart of the show for sure but also adapt it for the UK audience.
“We don’t want to make it anything too sentimental because in London the theatre scene is so huge.
“There’s a lot out there and you don’t want it to slip through the cracks so how do we make it interesting and appealing to London audiences at the same time as honouring the original piece?”
We spoke about it being a two hander which is so far from other work you have done with mammoth productions like The Great Gatsby and Bonnie and Clyde on the West End, have you done anything as intimate as this before?
“No, this is the first.
“I did Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour but at least there was six of us.
“It felt small but that was a good number whereas two, this feels like a real challenge.
“There’s nowhere to hide.
“It’s just us two on stage.
“There’s no time off to pace yourself and regroup.
“Like I said, it’s a roller coaster.
“Once we start there’s no getting off.
“It’s definitely a new challenge but exciting.”
Speaking of Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, that must be a real career highlight for you. You took it from the fringe to national tours and even internationally. You went on such a journey with that..
“Yeah, that was honestly such a gift.
“Imagine you and five of your friends just carrying on getting to play because that’s essentially how we created the show.
“We had the script, we had the songs and I remember after learning the music, which is what you usually start with in musicals, we performed it like a gig and then that was really how we set up the show.
“It was just so much fun getting to create that show.
“I think it started at the Fringe and we didn’t think, ‘Oh let’s hope this transfers’ and ‘let’s hope it has a life’.
“We just loved being in that moment.
“It was at the festival and we got a bunch of awards, which was amazing, and then they said, ‘We’re going to take it out the following year. We’re going to do a UK tour’.
“We went international.
“We went to America and Melbourne and then after that we went to the National, which was amazing.
“Got Olivier nominated, and then the year after that, we went to the West End for a limited run.
“So it was like the gift that just kept on giving.
“It was nothing that we were like, ‘Let’s hope it does this..’
“It just was unexpected and that was just the best way to be: To have no expectations, to just love the work that we’re doing but then have the opportunities kind of land in our lap.”
As you say the play won Best New Play at the Oliviers and you were nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role..
“Yeah, which is amazing and even though that show was, how long ago was it now? I don’t want to say ten years ago but I think it might have been- People still talk about it now.
“They still remember us in that show.
“They still remember the show so vividly and I wish I could have seen it from the audience point of view to see what it was that they experienced and why it’s like resonated with them so much.
“But then again I got to live it and I have my own cherished memories from it.”
Did you always know you wanted to act? You started quite young, didn’t you?
“Yeah, I did.
“I loved to sing and I loved to dance and I went to acting classes and then I ended up going to stage school.
“And you get to that age at like 16 you think, ‘I need to make a choice of what I want to do with my life’.
“So I thought, ‘Well I enjoy doing this. Let’s give it a go’.
“And luckily it’s worked out.
“I was just lucky that I’ve managed to sustain it.
“Fingers crossed I can still do it going forward.”
Tell us about the Irish in your background, it’s on your father’s side, isn’t it?
“It is.
“My gran is from Dublin.
“She met my grandad who was Scottish and moved to Glasgow.
“I’ve been to Dublin quite a number of times, absolutely love it.
“I’ve been to a few places in Ireland now which is great.
“It’s very much a strong part of me and part of my family as well.
“As being Scottish and Chinese, we’re very proud of our roots.
“People that aren’t from the UK often mistake my accent and say, “Oh, you’re Irish’ and it’s like, ‘Well, this is a Scottish accent, but yes’.”
Have you got to perform in Ireland?
“I have.
“I performed quite a few times at the Bord Gais Theatre with some touring companies.
“Also we did a festival in Galway.
“We took Our Ladies.. there.
“Galway was so beautiful.”
One piece that you took to Ireland was Priscilla Queen of the Dessert which was also your West End debut..
“That was unbelievable.
“Throughout college, you have your bucket list and even now I’ve got my list that I’m still ticking off, and it changes but to be in a West End show, I think that’s on every performer’s list.
“I booked that and I was a swing so I covered all the female roles but in that show, it was an absolute gift.
“They had the three characters in the show and then the three divas that fly in, sing these incredible disco tunes and then fly back up to the top of the stage.
“What a show to be on for the first one.
“It was just a party every night.”
You have got to tick off some good ones. I’m thinking of Bonnie and Clyde and the Great Gatsby. Clyde and Daisy are great parts..
“Getting to be original cast in something in London was also on my list, so I did it with both of those shows.
“Doing a soundtrack, got to do with Bonnie and Clyde.
“Just performing in some incredible venues like the Coliseum, working at the National.
“Les Mis was also another bucket list, to play Eponine.
“So yeah, I’ve made my way through a fair few of the list.”
Heathers must be another one..
“Oh, that was so much fun.
“My husband was actually in the original cast of Heathers so I saw that show a few times.
“It was just so much fun and the audience response was incredible.
“I’ve done some really fun shows that I’m like, ‘Do we call it work when you just get to go to work and have a laugh and enjoy what you do?’
“I’ve been very lucky in what I’ve done so far.”
You mentioned Les Miserables which you did get to do but unfortunately it got derailed..
“That was the thing.
“I had auditioned for the role of Eponine straight out college, and I didn’t get it.
“Again the second year: Didn’t get it.
“And then I didn’t get seen for years after that and thought, ‘That one’s just not meant to be’.
“And then it came back around but I was in rehearsals for Evita at the time and couldn’t make any of the auditions so I thought, ‘Okay, you know what? It’s gone again’.
“But when Evita was up and running, I could make the audition.
“I was like, ‘Oh wow, they’re still auditioning’, and I booked it.
“And I thought, ‘I can’t believe that when I thought it had been and gone, it came back around and I’m finally getting the chance to do it’.
“It was a huge tour.
“We would be in places for a month or few weeks at a time because it’s such a huge show, everyone knows it and everyone wants to see it so you stay in venues for that length of time to allow people to experience it.
“I think we did four months and then it got cut short.
“But I won’t lie, touring is difficult.
“The shows that you do when you are in venues for a month at a time are nice because you feel like you actually can get into a routine and have a bit of a life, but I’ve done tours where it’s maybe a few days here and then you change and a few days there and that’s really tough living out of a suitcase like that and constantly travelling.
“But yeah, Les Mis got cut short sadly and then out of COVID, I went into Heathers so I didn’t go back.”
Back to You & It, is it a show with real heart at the centre of it?
“Yeah, totally.
“We talk about grief a lot.
“Of course that’s one of the main themes but there’s also so much joy and happiness in it and I think there’s something in it for everyone.
“There’s some really great songs in it and it’s really beautiful.
“Things start to get more serious and a bit more hard hitting so we go through all the emotions: The happiness, the joy and then they argue and there’s tension so we go on a real journey.
“We want to make it land.”
It will be interesting to see what the audience reactions are, I can see you getting everything from tears to real joy..
“I hope so.
“I think the beautiful thing about us doing it at The King’s Head Theatre is that it’s a really small, intimate venue and the audience are more or less on stage with us so we’ll be able to feel that connection straight away.
“Hopefully it’s a good connection and it will have done it justice but that remains to be seen and I’m excited to see what the reaction is because I know from experience of watching it myself how I felt about it.
“So yeah, it will be interesting to get the feedback when the time comes.”
“Let’s hope that continues for us.”
You & It is at The King’s Head Theatre until Saturday 26 September.
For more information and to book, click here.
