Words Glenn Blomfield

The popular Ben Elton musical that has been rocking the stage with Queen’s music since 2002 in London hit Auckland at the Bruce Mason Theatre Takapuna. With a grand cast of Kiwi thespians rocking up a storm, the futuristic show is designed to be a Rock concert experience of the bands music. You are guaranteed to enjoy, clap, sing along, even dance in the aisles if the mood suits.

The show is fun, but if you were to strip away Queen’s bits, you are not left with much. It’s playful, using tie ins with Queen’s songs with the character names and story points, but it’s also on the camp side with cheeky laughs to be had. The stage is set in a Science Fiction future world where there is no Rock music, just a preppy society called Ga Ga ruled By Killer Queen.

Our Protanganist is hero Galileo Figaro, the dreamer with a mind filled with music. With no way to express his musical bent, he befriends a female interest Scaramosch, and falls into the underworld of the society of the Bohiemans. It’s all in the search of the ancient myth of Rock music, under the idol of Freddie Mercury. The Killer Queen and her minions are out to prohibit them from reaching their freedom through the soul that is music.

The stage show has moments of flashy production value, but feels tired and outdated. But what we are really here for is the Music, especially the singing. Singer Annie Crummer, as the Killer Queen is by far the stand out performer. When she sings and preforms she is a level above the rest, which possibly to the detriment to the rest of the cast, made them sound flat in comparison. It is an unenviable task to sing a Queen song and not be likened to the great Freddie Mecury. The lead singers gave it their best, belting out the songs with energetic fervour.

WE WILL ROCK YOU, is a fun entertaining night out, but it’s not a total “winning-you-over-success show. Yes, you will be singing along, clapping, and waving your arms in the air like you are at a Queen concert, and for that reason alone, it’s why audiences keep coming to see the show,