We Will Rock You continues at the Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury until 7 May 2022 and then tours until 5 September 2022.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Fun for all the family, the hit show We Will Rock You – packed with Queen’s much-loved songs and a book by Ben Elton – plays at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre this week as part of a UK tour marking 20 years since the first production of the jukebox musical.
As many of our readers will know, the show is et in the future where Earth, now named Planet Mall, is run by the corporate giant Globalsoft and its leader, the Killer Queen (Jenny O’Leary). Everyone speaks, looks and acts the same, and the only music that exists is programmed. The protagonist, Galileo (Ian McIntosh) is struggling to fit in and is tormented by the lyrics he hears in his dreams. He meets Scaramouche (Elena Skye), also struggling to conform to the Globalsoft mould.
Together they run away and meet the rebels, who are searching for the lost instruments to bring back live music and conquer the Killer Queen. Will Cliff (Michael McKell), Brit (David Michael Johnson), Meat (Kate Leiper) and the rest of the Bohemians help Galileo and Scaramouche to save the day?
The costumes in We Will Rock You are the making of the show, with incredible punk rock hairstyles, tartan skirts and futuristic dresses. A fun and energetic cast make this an enjoyable watch, with standout performances from Skye as Scaramouche and McKell as Cliff, whose unique voices make an impression.
A narrative with live music at the core needs live music, and the band led by musical director Zach Flis doesn’t disappoint, bringing Queen’s hits to life. Understandably, they receive a huge round of applause at the end of the show.
However, for me, the show needs some updating to make it relevant to today’s audiences. The references to LOL, OMG and WTF feel out of touch with current trends and the various mentions of non-binary in a jokey tone are inappropriate. The heavy use of CGI as part of the set also needs to be better quality to really give the show the wow potential it deserves.
Hannah Grimmette
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