MANILA, Philippines—Flamboyant Queen frontman Freddie Mercury has risen from the grave—for a foot-stomping rock musical made in his name, that is. But in lieu of waving flame-tipped lighters to the tear-jerking melodies of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” you’re given neon glowsticks instead.
“We Will Rock You” is a futuristic King Arthur tale of sorts, set in the imaginary, Orwellian world of 2307, where a single conglomerate, GlobalSoft Corp., controls the post-Global Warming planet—and its brainwashed, homogeneous citizenry—with a Taliban-like fist.
Music, of course, is outlawed in this dystopic society, save for the soulless, programmed pop tunes manufactured by GlobalSoft. But a covert group of rebels, the Bohemians, uncover the musical remnants of the 20th century with the help of a reluctant messiah named Galileo (he is the One, in “Matrix” terms)—a young man who hears ancient lyrics in his head, clues that will help the brave dissidents revive the long-lost spirit of rock ’n’ roll.
A unique collaboration between the legendary British Rock band and Ben Elton (one of Britain’s top playwrights and comedic writers), “We Will Rock You” opened in the London stage in May 2002 and has been playing to packed houses at the Dominion theater ever since.
The show has been so successful that it opened to record advances in Toronto in 2005, where it continues to be staged nightly. In addition to an ongoing Spanish-language touring production in Spain, “We Will Rock You” also continues to break box office records in Germany, where it is a top-grossing production. The international touring production also recently conquered Las Vegas, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and Singapore.
The cast of 28 international performers (most of whom are talented South African thespians) is top-billed by our very own MiG Ayesa, who reprises his West End triumph in the role of Galileo. Ayesa has more than 750 performances as Galileo on the West End stage to his credit, and will come to Hong Kong direct from seasons in Singapore, Seoul, and Auckland.
The outstanding cast, accompanied by an über-cool eight-member band, takes you on a journey into the future, while recreating 26 of Queen’s top platinum-selling hits—including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are The Champions,” “Killer Queen,” “Another One Bites The Dust,” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” In between the songs, Ben Elton’s comic wit is equally evident. The dialogue is hilarious, smart, and very British.
The hyper-surreal set—which uses a 9-meter wide digital screen, tech-savvy mobile props, spinning mirror balls, and eye-popping concert lighting effects—was conceptualized and created by Mark Fisher, who, in a stellar career, has also designed sets for U2, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and Cirque du Soleil.
“We Will Rock You” is really a rock concert thinly disguised as a musical, whose songs will compel the audience to rise from their seats, scream their lungs out, and raise their hands in the air—with or without the neon glowsticks.
“We Will Rock You” plays at the Lyric Theater (Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts), Wanchai, Hong Kong until June 15. Cathay Pacific offers enticing Fly ’n See Travel Packages (inclusive of airfare, hotel, and show tickets). For more information on the promo, visit www.cathaypacific.ph or call 757-0888.
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