We Will Rock You is a musical production that falls into the genre of jukebox musical, a term that describes musicals featuring popular songs held loosely together by an often unrelated plot.
Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor collaborated with English comedian and author Ben Elton to write the stage version of We Will Rock You, named after the band’s hit single of the same name.
It opened in London’s West End at the Dominion Theatre on May 14, 2002 and although the musical production was not a critic favorite, the audiences quickly grew and enjoyed the non-stop Queen music, costumes and vocal talents of the performers.
Tony Vincent played the lead role of Galileo, with Hannah Jane Fox as Scaramouche, Sharon D. Clarke as Killer Queen, Nigel Planer as Pop and Kerry Ellis as Meat.
Musical Production We Will Rock You a Fan Favorite
Audience loyalty would make We Will Rock You the longest-running musical production at the Dominion when on August 17, 2005, it surpassed the previous record-holder, Grease. This record is still more meaningful considering that the Dominion is one of the biggest theatrical venues in London’s West End, seating 2,000 people.
The story is uncomplicated and intentionally surreal, taking place in an unreal distance time where original thought, creativity and innovation are despised and discouraged. A sole “Dreamer” enters the stage to honor a prophecy that will pave the way for the return of rock and roll music.
London theatre crowds would soon find that they shared their love of the musical with an international audience. Several international productions have spawned from the original.
We Will Rock You grew to stage productions in South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Moscow, Las Vegas, Japan, South Africa, Zurich, Vienna, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok. By mid-2009, the musical still appears regularly at theatres in Germany, Great Britain and Canada.
Brian May Planning Sequel to We Will Rock You Musical
Fans and future Queen musical lovers also learned that a sequel is being planned. A draft is complete and ready for production, according to the band’s Brian May during an interview with Playbill.
The future for the musical appears bright. A national tour across the United Kingdom began in 2009 at the Palace Theatre in Manchester and will continue with the Sunderland Empire, Birmingham Hippodrome, Bristol Hippodrome and Edinburgh Playhouse.
In Toronto, Canada, the musical production is so popular that not even a transfer to a new theatre could affect its fans. We Will Rock You remains the longest remaining musical still being performed in Toronto.
We Will Rock You is a Queen musical tribute that hits its mark with fans across the world and audiences appear to be in no rush to end the magic anytime soon.
Shelley Aylesworth-Spink - Shelley Aylesworth-Spink has worked in support of communications, marketing and advertising for nearly 25 years in the private and public ...
