Yippee Ki Yay is the acclaimed retelling of classic film Die Hard by Richard Marsh. It premiered at Edinburgh Fringe 2022. The London premiere is running at King’s Head Theatre from 29th November to 31st of December.
The Artiscape spoke with Richard Marsh about his production.
Why did you decide to write this homage to Die Hard?
Marsh: I’ve loved Die Hard since I first saw it on VHS. I’m not sure when the notion of retelling it came about – but for a long time it was an ‘I must do that when I have the time’ idea. Then, during the second lockdown, I was working on another play, which was decent but quite hard going, and I realised it was the wrong thing to be doing at that time. I wanted to make a show that would be a lot of fun to do and hopefully a lot of fun to watch.
Some of my best ideas start as jokes. A big, garish idea that makes me laugh. Yippee Ki Yay began as ‘What if Die Hard was a poem?’ On top of that: what if the cool, wise-cracking tough guy John McClane was played by the bespectacled, rhyming geek Richard Marsh? The work is then moving beyond the humour to find the truth, the deeper emotional story.
As I watched and rewatched the film, I realised that John talks to himself throughout the film. After the terrorists arrive, he has no one else to talk to until he gets the radio. So John actually monologues in the film and that lends itself to the monologue / poetry style, which I extended from John out to the other main characters. Holly McClane is a fantastic character (played by a fantastic actress) and one of the joys of adaptation is that I can give Holly more of a voice. She gets to talk to the audience, tell us what she’s feeling about these cocky men strutting around her and what she thinks of the ending, too.
For legal reasons I’m obliged to say Yippee Ki Yay is a completely unauthorised parody. But parody implies I’m not taking this seriously. I absolutely am. I say that as former London poetry slam champion, Fringe First winner, BBC Audio Drama Best Comedy winner and New York cop (one of these is untrue).
Why do you think Die Hard has continued to resonate with audiences decades later?
Marsh: It’s exciting, dramatic, very funny, written and directed brilliantly, with an incredible cast. But beyond that – it’s truthful. A lot of films set at Christmas feed us images of perfect families having their perfect Christmas. Die Hard is more honest than that. The McClanes are separated and want to come together at Christmas, but their problems don’t magically disappear because the calendar clicks round to December 24th. Die Hard acknowledges how hard it can be at this time of year. So the movie is loads of fun but also, deep down, it’s truthful.
Why does the John McClane character appeal to you?
Marsh: John McClane isn’t a superhuman, musclebound larger-than-life Arnie / Sly-type figure. He’s fallible, he’s self-critical, he’s scared. He’s a very human hero. But also an epic hero. Superheroes need a weakness to give someone a chance to beat them. Superman needs kryptonite. Achilles needs his heel. John McClane needs his feet.
John appeals to me for different reasons now then when I was a kid. When I first saw Die Hard as a child, it was about a hero kicking arse and winning the day (or the night) against all the odds. Now, watching as a parent, in mid-life, it’s about a marriage. I’ve done my best to draw that out in the adaptation. John and Holly bicker, like most couples, but then can’t make up because – unlike most couples – they are prevented from doing so by a terrorist attack.
What do you think an audience at the Kings Head Theatre will get from your show?
Marsh: Audiences are going to get all of Die Hard – all the iconic moments and characters and action – told by one actor playing lots of different parts from the movie.
Put simply, Yippee Ki Yay is the movie Die Hard, retold as an epic poem. That may sound silly. It definitely *is* silly. We’re having a lot of fun with the story, from a place of huge love for the film. But it’s not purely comedy. In addition to the Die Hard-related humour, there’s a lot of heart to the show plus an additional story I’ve added in. People find it surprisingly moving.
What are you looking forward to about your performance at Kings Head Theatre?
Marsh: We did two pre-Edinburgh fringe previews at the King’s Head and had a fantastic time. It’s a theatre where the audience are close to the action on all sides. It’s a very intimate, yet sometimes raucous, place to perform and I’m looking forward to a great run up to Christmas and the New Year. One of the things I missed during covid was live performance – both performing to and sitting in a group of people, sharing a unique experience. You are very aware of being part of that group in the King’s Head. It’s a wonderful thing to be part of.
Retelling Die Hard is a huge responsibility. People love this film. As an actor – it is daunting, the movie has a PHENOMENAL cast. As a writer, I’ve tried to capture the spirit of the original, while making it my own. This play that started as a joke has become something more. I hope the audience will have a bloody good time, laugh a bunch – and maybe have a little cry.
London premiere – King’s Head Theatre, 29 Nov – 31 Dec, book tickets here!
UK tour begins December 2022 – book tickets now for Norwich, Salford, Oxford, Bedford.
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