REVIEW
We Will Rock You is the classic tale of David and Goliath, reimagined against a dystopian backdrop inspired by Queen’s most iconic hit songs.
Thames Music and Drama’s latest show brought to life the battle between the mighty planet-ruling corporation Globalsoft and the feisty non-conforming Bohemian rebels, and delivered a bundle of laughs along the way.
The show opened with the chronically-online Ga Ga Kids, citizens of iPlanet. Their sanitized, upbeat rendition of Radio Ga Ga was accompanied by precise choreography, which deliberately felt hollow and unnatural.
But the liveliness of the show almost immediately picked up with the introduction of two non-conformers – Galileo Figaro, played by Keegan Brown, and Scaramouche, played by Olivia Dustow. Ostracised from their peers, the two introduced a first hint of rebellion with their rendition of I Want to Break Free.
What followed was a race through Queen’s back catalogue as the heroes sought to dodge Globalsoft’s minions, find the Bohemians and bring rock music back to the masses.
There was a fun juxtaposition throughout the show between the flat, choreographed robotic movements of the Ga Ga Kids and the eclectic Bohemians.
The Ga Gas were eerily alike: told what to wear, buy, and even think; and with their matching wigs and laboratory-esque costumes it was difficult to tell each character apart.
The Bohemians, by contrast, were a rag-tag bunch of individuals. Clad in an array of outfits inspired by long-gone musicians (Madonna, Prince, Tina Turner), and with little knowledge of “rock music” besides what they had scrounged up from discarded posters and magazines, the group’s efforts to explain the rebellion were entertainingly funny.
Vocally, the main cast were impressive. Keegan and Olivia had the audience in the palm of their hands from their first scenes to their last. With their powerhouse vocals and endless energy, they were the essence of Queen’s theatrical spirit, and the impetus for the plot’s increasingly chaotic and colourful progression.
Likewise, the Bohemian leaders, Meat Loaf (Jody Jamieson) and Britney Spears (TJ Judd), were animated and exciting to watch. Their vocals, and chemistry as a couple, drew the audience effortlessly through several numbers including I Want It All and Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
On the other side of the war was Jo Haakma as the ruthless Killer Queen. Jo readily switched between smooth, sultry tunes and growling notes as she fought to keep her grip on the minds of her citizens. She was supported by her unwavering head of police, Commander Khashoggi, whose sadistic pursuit of the Bohemians was aptly portrayed by Max Rodley.
Audiences will of course be familiar with the music of Queen, and this fun, fast-paced jukebox musical creatively weaves their most popular songs through a plot already littered with pop culture and music references sure to appeal to anyone who has listened to the radio in the last half-century.
DETAILS: We Will Rock You, Thames Music and Drama. Show runs until June 6 at the Thames Civic Centre; tickets available from www.thamesmad.co.
