The cast of WE WILL ROCK YOU UK Tour 2022. Photo Credit: Johan Persson
With masterpieces like We Are the Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody, a jukebox musical comprised of the music of rock legends Queen requires some true musical talent. Fortunately, the cast of We Will Rock You has musical talent in abundance – from belting Broadway voices to gritty rock vocals; all combined with live music from an amazing band that more than hold their own against these classic songs. Which is what makes the rest of the production so disappointing, as the musical talent of the cast and the concept has so much potential.
In We Will Rock You, author Ben Elton imagines life 300 years in the future, where Earth is now referred to as “the iPlanet”; a soulless world controlled by a corporation called Globalsoft that insists upon complete uniformity. Everyone is the same, even down to how they act, how they dress, and – most importantly – what they listen to. Rock is dead, and only the rebellious Galileo Figaro (Damien Walsh), his headstrong companion Scaramouche (Elena Skye), along with a band of defiant Bohemians can bring it back.
The cast of WE WILL ROCK YOU UK Tour 2022. Photo Credit: Johan Persson
Despite a promising premise, whatever value the message behind it had is lost in painfully cringeworthy humour and awkward, incessant pop culture references; rendering most of the dialogue meaningless. Along with crude, outdated depictions of the younger generation as mindless, insipid robots blurting out streams of “LOL” and “WFT”; the message of real music being lost to a tidal wave of commercial pop was washed away in Elton’s cynicism.
Damien Walsh and Elena Skye star as our wayward protagonists, and expertly lend their voices to some of the greatest hits of Freddie and his friends. Both were fully committed to delivering the kind of monumental vocal performances that Freddie was known for, and they absolutely succeed. Skye in particular gave a standout performance as Scaramouche; with her breath-taking vocals and expertly timed wit bringing some much-needed vivacity to the production. Similarly, the dazzling Jenny O’Leary as Killer Queen brought an abundance of wicked energy and power to her role, commanding the stage whenever she occupied it and delivering some truly astounding vocals.
The cast of WE WILL ROCK YOU UK Tour 2022. Photo Credit: Johan Persson
However, whilst ex-Strictly judge Arlene Phillips did a fantastic job choreographing the ensemble cast, our main cast felt stiff in their performances, either wandering around the stage aimlessly or looking awkward in comparison to the high-energy dancing behind them. Their performances during the musical numbers felt very contained, and a far cry from the carefree rock image that they were trying to cultivate. What remained was a lacklustre depiction of rock that lacked any passion behind the songs that Freddie poured so much of himself into. Despite this, towards the end of the musical, the cast did seem to warm up to their characters and give more of themselves to the performance; leaving me wondering whether this was an intentional portrayal of their constrained lives as iPlanet citizens devoid of the power of rock. Though if so, this was not made clear enough as a creative decision.
Another possibility is that the cast were simply conserving energy for the sheer number of songs that Ben Elton had managed to cram into the minimal plot. Far more time was spent trying to force as many Queen classics as possible into what was in reality very little dialogue; with the end result feeling more like you were at a Queen tribute concert with the occasional interjection of some poorly constructed comedy.
The talent of the musical team was undeniable, with a live band providing the ultimate atmosphere to bring these legendary songs to life. And by encouraging the audience to join in where needed, they allowed theatregoers to immerse themselves in their favourite music; surrounded by the familiar thunderous claps of We Will Rock You, and swaying to We Are The Champions. Ultimately, whether or not you enjoy We Will Rock You depends largely in part on what you’re expecting from it.
When it first premiered, We Will Rock You was met with a stream of unimpressed critics, and it’s not difficult to see why – as a piece of theatre, it is poor. It lacks the intensity and the spirit that one comes to expect from a musical, and story-wise, is unfortunately lacking. However, We Will Rock You has still gone on to enjoy immense success on the stage. This is because while it may not be a great piece of theatre, it is still an enjoyable night out for Queen fans that want to sit back and enjoy their favourite songs performed by some of the most dazzling voices in UK theatre.
WE WILL ROCK YOU runs at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, until 10 September 2022
Megan Hyland is a full-time domestic abuse charity worker; part-time entertainment reviewer; and professional over-achiever. Currently one of ten writers chosen for Northern Broadsides’ Young Writers Forge, you can read more of her review writing at UpstagedManchester, The Custard TV and her blog The Manchester Maverick.
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