A fantastic new musical by Ben Elton and Queen.
Directed by Christopher Renshaw, with choregraphy by Arlene Phillips and designs by Mark Fisher and Willie Williams, the show features over thirty Queen tracks.
We Will Rock You is a financially huge West End event. The music of Queen and stunning visual effects certainly keep you entertained but the storyline is a big disappointment. It is surprising too because Ben Elton professes to be a big fan of Queen. Perhaps he has relied too heavily on the music and not given enough thought to the storyline. The trouble is, no matter how brilliant you think the music of Queen to be, if you go to the theatre, music alone does not tick all the boxes.
Apart from the meticulous recreation of some Queen classics, the most I can say for We Will Rock You is that visually, it is highly impressive with lasers, video visuals and some stunning costumes.
Globalisation is complete. It’s years into the future on a place formerly known as Earth. Across the globe kids watch the same films, think the same thoughts and wear the same clothes. It's Ga Ga World.
"Unless you're a rebel. Unless you want to Rock."
In Planet Mall rock 'n' roll has been outlawed for centuries and all materials once used to make musical instruments are banned. Company computers generate the tunes and the children just download them. No stone is left unturned in the pursuit of profit; hits are scheduled years in advance.
In the words of Freddie: "Is this the real life? Is it just fantasy?"
It’s the age of Girl Bands and Boy Bands, of Boy and Girl Bands, of Girl Bands with a couple of boys in them that look like girls, or Andro Bands, groups of software created sexless cyber stars.
All processed and manufactured. "Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality."
Under the surface, resistance is growing. Beneath the shining cities, down in the lower depths, live the Bohemians. The rebels believe there was once a golden age when kids wrote their own songs and formed bands and dream that one day these lost songs will be heard once more.
They call this day ‘The Rhapsody’.
"Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see."
Legend has it that somewhere on Planet Mall instruments can still be found. Somewhere, the mighty axe of a hairy guitar god lies buried deep in rock placed there during the golden age.
The Bohemians need a hero to locate this axe. A crazy rebel with a solid rock heart will draw the guitar from the stone and play the ancient anthems once again.
"He's just a poor boy from a poor family."
But the Bohemians must find this hero before the Company does. For if the Ga Ga Cops get him first they will surely drag him before the Killer Queen and consign him to oblivion across the Seven Sees Of Rhye. Where is this axe hero? Where is the Hairy One's lost axe? Where is the place of living rock?
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