Thames Music and Drama will be bringing the iconic jukebox musical We Will Rock You to life this May, with director Stuart Floan saying audiences can expect a high-energy, feel-good show full of Queen anthems, clapping, and stomping along.
Written by Ben Elton and built around the legendary catalogue of Queen, the show first hit stages in the early 2000s. But more than two decades on, its themes feel more relevant than ever.
Set in a dystopian future where the internet rules all and creativity is suppressed, the story follows young renegade Galileo Figaro and his sidekick Scaramouche as they fight to reclaim music – under control of the all-seeing villain Killer Queen, who has even renamed Earth the “iPlanet.”
“Everybody basically just spends their entire life on their phone,” Stuart told The Profile. “It’s about how many likes you can get, how many online friends you have, all those things. A.I. [Artificial Intelligence] kind of plays in a little bit, but it wasn’t really around too much at that point.”
Stuart said the show was a funny one, packed with wordplay, pop culture references, and plenty of “dad jokes”, but it also carried a deeper message about modern life. He said that was part of what drew him to directing the production.
“If I look at where the world is now, you know, we do spend so much time on our phones. If somebody asks a question, you Google it to find out what the answer is. And for me, when I first saw the show, it resonated a little bit, because I’m old enough to remember proper dial-up phones and the internet before it became the internet.”
The show will feature the “anthem songs” Queen were masters of, Stuart said, including Another One Bites the Dust, We Will Rock You, A Kind of Magic, and Radio Ga Ga.
“All that classic stuff that people can clap and stomp their feet to and enjoy.”
His favourite Queen track – Seven Seas of Rhye – also has its moment.
The atmosphere will be amplified by a live band, with creative director Babs Floan, musical director Tina Haakma, and dance director Sheli Taylor helping bring the production to life on stage.
“We Will Rock You was always the show that I wanted to do, just because I enjoy the music, and it’s really cool, really interactive, with lots of energy and fun,” Stuart said.
“There’s some moments of empathy or pathos too, because Queen did some heartfelt songs as well, so there’s a really good balance.”
The show will run from May 29 to June 6, and Stuart said ticket prices have been slightly reduced to make the production more accessible.
DETAILS: For info and to book, visit: www.thamesmad.co/buy-tickets
BY KELLEY TANTAU
