Review: We Will Rock You at Birmingham Hippodrome
High energy and full of much-loved classics from one of the most iconic bands of all time, We Will Rock You dazzled all the senses and provided a great night of fun and entertainment at Birmingham Hippodrome.
As a fan of Queen, I was very much looking forward to seeing this jukebox musical and the show is full of hit after hit of instantly recognisable hits from their back catalogue.
Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga and I Want to Break Free are just a few of those featured and the incredibly talented cast did not disappoint.
We Will Rock You is set in a distant, dystopian future where Earth is called the iPlanet and its inhabitants wear the same clothes, think the same thoughts and exist in a braindead haze.
This system forbids musical instruments and composers, while rock music is all but unknown.
The musical tells the story of Galileo, Scaramouche, Killer Queen and the other Bohemians, and allows the audience to join them on their journey to discover the Holy Grail of Rock and restore the free exchange of thought, fashion and live music.
The show first premiered in 2002 but the script has been updated to reflect the changing times since, with even a few nods to the coronavirus pandemic included.
Galileo (Ian McIntosh) gave a high energy performance, referencing some mannerisms of Freddie Mercury along the way, and his vocals shone in many of the songs especially We Are The Champions, which had the whole audience with their hands in the air, swaying them side to side.
Scaramouche (Elena Skye) had impeccable vocals with one of the standout performances of the show being Somebody to Love, as did Meat (Martina Ciabatti Mennell) with No One But You.
Killer Queen (Jennifer O'Leary) played an excellent Cruella de Vil-type character of the rock world, managing to belt out the big vocals needed for songs such as The Show Must Go On.
Cliff (Michael McKell) also had some of the best comic lines that got the biggest laughs from the audience.
It is full of silliness with some hilarious punchlines thanks to the comedy talents of writer Ben Elton, and although the storyline is truly bonkers it is a lot of fun.
Together with a fantastic performance from a live band, it is no wonder the show managed to get a standing ovation on its opening night.
We Will Rock You, which is on tour across the UK until September, runs at the Birmingham Hippodrome until July 30.
For tickets visit birminghamhippodrome.com
