Throw together the hilarious author, playwright and stand-up Ben Elton with the music of one of the world’s most famous rock bands Queen, and you’re bound to come up smelling of roses, black leather, tight trousers, long hair and sporting a subversive sneer.
“‘We Will Rock You’ absolutely blew my socks off”
And as such We Will Rock You doesn’t disappoint. Already a worldwide hit; over 15 million people in 17 countries have seen the jukebox musical and enjoyed hits including We Are The Champions, Radio Ga Ga, I Want To Break Free, Somebody To Love, Killer Queen, Don’t Stop Me Now, Under Pressure, Bohemian Rhapsody and Another One Bites The Dust.
Set in a futuristic world where music is banned, instruments are a thing of the past, composers are forbidden and rock is considered anarchic and dangerous, the Bohemians are fighting back, determined to track down ‘the one’ who can free them from the tyrannical regime that removes souls and promotes internet addiction, with a zeal King Arthur would be proud of.
So no, this is not a musical about Queen.
The Bohemians live in The Hotel California and want to restore the free exchange of thought, fashion and live music and remove the brain-washing rulers, namely the Killer Queen (played by Jenny O’Leary whose incredible voice must be heard to be believed).
Cue Galileo (Ian McIntosh) and Scaramouche (Elena Skye), the unwitting saviours of Planet Mall. Without them their fellow inhabitants are little more than robots programmed what to see, think, do and like.
But Galileo and Scaramouche are different. Galileo can hear music and lyrics in his head, even though instruments and songs are long gone, and Scaramouche is his soul mate, despite having a lot to say about Galileo’s rather sexist hero attitude.
Together their duets are absolute dynamite, this is a dream team the casting directors can only fantasise about.
And not a celebrity in sight. That’s what I loved the most – the cast was as diverse as the script, the onus here being on the singing, each and every one had lungs like kresus and vocal cords blessed with magic. Their voices not only soared into the lofty heights of Oxford’s New Theatre, but the sheer scale and breadth of their vocal abilities brought a tear to many an eye.
You can hear Ben Elton running through the script like a stick of rock, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, laughing (largely at the hilarious Michael McKell – a comic combination of Ozzy Osbourne, Neil from The Young Ones and Rick Parfitt from Status Quo), marvelling at the sheer number of these classic rock songs, and awed by the immense skills of the vocalists themselves.
Funny, quick, immersive, recognisable and nostalgic; the set design is staggering, the voices defy belief, the staging seriously ambitious and the singing out of this world. Where did they find these people?
Moving, impressive and setting the bar so high it may never come down, by the end of the show the audience was on their feet, dancing and singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody as if their lives depended on it.
Excellent for rockers and non-rockers alike, catch this musical this week or you’ll regret it. We Will Rock You absolutely blew my socks off.
We Will Rock You is at the New Theatre Oxford until Saturday 7. Tickets on 0844 871 3020 or www.atgtickets.com/oxford
