"Ready To Rock?" By Hayley Wardrop

It is basically impossible to miss this sign! 

When my mother first told me that she had bought tickets for “We Will Rock You”, which is playing at The Dominion Theatre, I was anything but excited. “We Will Rock You” is a musical based around the music of the legendary rock band Queen. I am a fan of Queen but I feared that this musical would be another “Mama Mia” fiasco. I am also a fan of Abba but I absolutely hated “Mama Mia” for its poor story line and I also felt that songs were forced in where they did not fit. I understand that it is difficult to fit a plethora of an artists songs into a musical; especially with the eccentric music of Queen, I knew the story had to be a little out there to incorporate their hits. 

She is my hero! 

            We Will Rock You first opened in London in 2002 and it has been at The Dominion Theatre ever since, making it the longest running show to ever play this theatre. It is the story of a young rebel, Galileo, who cannot conform to the futuristic Ga Ga world that takes place on “Planet Mall”. Musical instruments are banned, individuality is frowned upon, rock music is unknown, and music is all computer generated. It is an age of Boy Bands and of Girl Bands. Of Boy and Girl Bands. Of Girl Bands with a couple of boys in them that look like girls anyway. Galileo soon meets his female counterpart, Scaramouche, who also has the power of rock emanating from within her. Together they run away from the overbearing Globalsoft Corporation and meet the “Bohemians”. The “Bohemians” are a group of teenagers who attempt to uncover the lost history of rock. They are awaiting their Messiah, or “The Dreamer”, who hears the lost lyrics through his dreams and who is destined to locate the musical instruments that were hidden long before. They wait underground for the lost sound to be replayed, a day which they refer to as “The Rhapsody”. I will not ruin the ending but let’s just say they do in fact “rock you”.

            The plot is written by Ben Elton and is average at most and the humor within the play is contained within one-line gags and unimaginative puns. The real victory within this musical is the performance of thirty-one Queen hits. Wonderful vocal performances paired with imaginative choreography makes this musical energetic and very entertaining. Alex Gaumond, who plays Galileo, is absolutely fantastic and is able to show off his amazing vocal abilities. The band, who played live, was also fantastic but it was a shame they were hidden from view. I think it would have added to the concert feel of the show if they had been more visible.

OH YEAHHHHHHH!!!!!

            Overall, this show is extremely entertaining. When “We Will Rock You” was performed the entire audience was stomping its feet and clapping their hands; I won’t ruin the surprise that “Bohemian Rhapsody” entails! This show is not for the artistically inclined but if you want a fun night and feel like rocking out then this is the show for you!