As somebody who never bought Queen records and who didn’t laugh at Ben Elton jokes the first time around, We Will Rock You was never a show at the top of my bucket list. I have to say the prospect of sitting in a theatre for more than two hours watching a musical written by the ’80s comedian based on the best known songs of Queen was up there with a lengthy wait for an invasive dental procedure.
Of course, with my critic’s hat on, I have to cast aside any preconceived notions about such shows and, let’s face it, the track record for We Will Rock You speaks for itself. On its 20th anniversary tour, it’s the 11th longest-running musical in West End history and must have made both Elton and the remaining members of Queen even richer than before.
A ‘jukebox musical’ (by which I presume they mean the hits just keep on coming once you've paid), this dystopian story is based around a group of ‘Bohemians’ (essentially the ensemble dressed as various rock and pop icons, from Cliff Richard to Lady Gaga) who set out to save rock music at a time real music has been banned and the back history of pop culture is an unknown and little more than a sacred mystery.
