| Product: |
We Will Rock You |
| Date: |
24/02/08 (183 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Fantastic show, outstanding cast, great story, the songs
Disadvantages: Snacks in the theatre are a little expensive
For Valentines Day this year, I decided to buy my other half tickets to see We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre in London.
History
Six years ago, the remaining members of the group Queen (obviously minus Freddie Mercury) joined together with Ben Elton and an internationally renowned creative team to create the stage show We Will Rock You. This musical features 31 of Queen's hits.
The first show of We Will Rock You took place in May 2002 at the Dominion Theatre on Tottenham Court Road in London. This show has now been running for the last six years and all shows are still sold out so that in itself goes some way to showing you just how popular We Will Rock You is.
The Dominion Theatre
The Dominion Theatre is located on Tottenham Court Road, literally just opposite the Tottenham Court Road tube station so it is very easily accessible. In fact, it is only a ten minute walk from Leicester Square. Although the Dominion Theatre is pretty centrally located, it is actually quite a way away from all the other theatres, the area which is often referred to as 'Theatreland'.
The Dominion Theatre was built in 1928 and was converted into a cinema in 1930. Charlie Chaplin's City Lights ran in this very theatre with Charlie Chaplin making a personal appearance. As well as there being the theatre itself, there is also a dressing room block and administration rooms on the right hand side of the building and then there are shops, offices and residential buildings on the left of the theatre.
The Dominion Theatre is able to seat 2060 people and if one of the larger theatres in London.
The Story
We Will Rock You is set in 2046 and all forms of music and musical instruments have been banned from Planet Mall (formally known as Planet Earth). Globalisation has taken over and people are expected to wear the same clothes, act in the same way and have the same thoughts! Everyone on Planet Mall live in Gaga World and their leader is the Killer Queen and her assistant Khashoggi.
There are of course, people who object to this way of living, and have their own thought and want to act in their own individual ways. One of these rebels is Galileo Figaro who dreams about songs and song lyrics. Of course, everyone else in Gaga World think that he is mad! The other rebel is a girl who enjoys wearing different clothing to the other Gaga girls and feels like she doesn't fit in with them.
Killer Queen decides to catch these two rebels but they manage to escape. These two character strike up a friendship Galileo names the girl Scaramouche and she refers to Galileo as Gazza.
Gazza and Scaramouche head off on a journey to try and find the music, during their travels they meet a group of Bohemians who are also looking for the music. Unfortunately, Killer Queen finds the group of people and arrest them all, only Gazza and Scaramouche escape.
It is up to these two to see if they can find the musical instruments which they know are hidden somewhere on Planet Mall and bring back the music. Will Gazza and Scaramouche outsmart the Gaga World and Killer Queen? Or will they be captured and brainwashed like all the other people?
Songs
INNUENDO - a recording of Freddie Mercury doing lead vocals with the cast doing the backing vocals.
RADIO GAGA - This is sung by the Gaga Kids and some of the lyrics have been changed to fit in with the story.
I WANT TO BREAK FREE - the first half of this song is sung by Galileo and the second half is sung by Scaramouche.
SOMEBODY TO LOVE - This is sung by Scaramouche and the Gaga Girls.
KILLER QUEEN - this is performed by the Killer Queen and her assistants.
PLAY THE GAME - again this is performed by the Killer Queen and her assistants.
UNDER PRESSURE - this is sung as a duet by Galileo and Scaramouche.
A KIND OF MAGIC - THIS is sung by the Killer Queen and her assistants.
I WANT IT ALL - is performed by a selection of the Bohemians.
HEADLONG - the vocals are shared between the Bohemians, Galileo and Scaramouche
NONE ONE BUT YOU (ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG) - this is sung by Scaramouche on the lead vocals and the Bohemians doing the backing vocals.
CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE - this is sung by the Bohemians, Galileo and Scaramouche.
ONE VISION - this song opens the second act and is such by the Gaga kids doing the backing vocals with Freddie Mercury doing the lead vocals.
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER - this is sung by Galileo and Scaramouche.
YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND - this is sung by Galileo and Scaramouche.
FLASH - this is sung by the Bohemians
SEVEN SEAS OF RHYE - sung by Khashoggi and Bohemians
FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS - this is performed by the Killer Queens and her assistants
DON'T STOP ME NOW - is performed by the Killer Queen
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST - again performed by the Killer Queen
HAMMER TO FALL - is performed by Galileo and Scaramouche
THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES - performed by the Bohemians.
BICYCLE RACE - performed by the Bohemians.
WE WILL ROCK YOU - sung by Galileo and the cast
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS - again sung by Galileo and cast
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY - this is sung by Galileo, Scaramouche, Killer Queen, Khashoggi and Ensemble
All the songs were performed to an excellent standard and I particularly liked Scaramouche as I thought she had an outstanding voice. Most of the songs include a certain amount of dancing which all fits in with whatever is happening on stage at that time.
The Set
The set is very striking, and set a bit like a rock concert with lots of bright lights and stage effects. There are eight massive screens at the back of the stage which play visual effects and often come into the show itself showing telephone conversations.
The set for the Bohemians scene was done especially well and it showed ruins of Tottenham Court tube station.
Parts of the set moves and there are also raised areas with steps that the cast use during the various performances.
Other parts of the set include a Harley Davidson motorbike, an old camper van and many more.
The sound was another aspect of this show that was exceptional. The music was nice and loud without being so loud that it left your ears ringing. There was a live band which sits to the side of the stage and provides all the music for the show.
Cost
I paid £35 for each ticket which I thought was very reasonable. Obviously some seats are more expensive at £60 a ticket but this would guarantee you a seat near the front. We sat in the stalls with our tickets and could see the show perfectly from here so I was more than happy with the price we paid and feel I got good value for money.
Summary
I would highly recommend a visit to the musical We Will Rock You. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. The cast very superb, all of them has great voices, especially Scaramouche and I felt that each character was believable. The costumes were also great, with matching costumes for the Gaga Kids and a gothic look for Scacamouche just to name a couple.
The special effects were impressive, the screens behind the stage fitted in really well to what was happening on the stage and the lights and sounds really made the show!!
The dancing was another aspect of the show I enjoyed, the routines were fun to watch and the dancers were perfectly in time with one another and really appeared to be enjoying themselves.
I am unsure whether this show is meant to be a tribute to Queen but if it was then I felt the cast certainly did them justice with their performances. 100% recommended!
My only grumble is that food and drink inside the theatre are a little overpriced!
Summary: A must see show! Absolutely brilliant!!
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