We Will Rock You

This is such an iconic show and the license to perform has been very keenly sought by many societies in the region.  Dunmow have been at the forefront in getting such shows for the past few years, so it was with keen anticipation that I attended this production.

The opening of the show, with its aggressive voiceover and amazing visuals set the scene.  More on those visuals later!  The storyline is a bit implausible, but the cast were totally immersed in it and made it believable.  With a story woven around the song Bohemian Rhapsody there were many references that brought the audience to laughter.

The principals were all excellent, Joe Baker (Galileo Figaro) has the most phenomenal singing voice, and this character gave him the opportunity to let it loose in so many ways.  Jessica Daniel played Scaramouche with great style, I was not too sure about her choice of accent, although it gave her ample opportunity to display the sassy character that the part demands.  Victoria Carey was Killer Queen, a great part which Victoria clearly relished with terrific characterisation.  And yes, I did love that dress, more of that later too!  Charlotte Fage played Oz, displaying her talents as a performer, with a great characterisation.

Dan Baker played Khashoggi; his portrayal was a great mix of intimidation and craven, a perfect foil for Killer Queen.  Gareth Barton played Buddy, basically the glue that held the Bohemian rebels together as a group.  I think this part has the best dialogue and Gareth took full advantage of the comedy with perfect timing, superb facial expressions and pauses.  Shane Sykes was Brit and his performance was energetic and endearing.

The ensemble was very good; each had their own character which they used to great effect throughout the show.  The overall impact was that this was a very cohesive performance with every member of the cast contributing to the whole.

The band, under the direction of MD David Charles Howell, was well balanced and not overpowering.  The use of the Rhapsodies as backing singers was the perfect support, giving emphasis on the vocals when the cast needed to be doing something other than singing.

All the songs were performed well with a range of passion to suit the song and the place in the show.  It would be really unfair to pick out certain songs as each Principal, and the company, did them all justice.  There were some lovely harmonies, and the vocal talent of the company was very much in evidence.

The scenery was done using a projected backdrop.  I am a fan of digital and projected scenery when it is done right.  Despite numerous issues, with missing screens and inadequate projectors, in the few days before the show opened, and due to a terrific team effort by the company members, the end result was spectacular.  Dan Baker produced the different scenes and the rendering was superb, great pictures with some really nice animations. The transitions were seamless, enabling the pace of the show to be maintained. 

The costumes were perfect for the production and Jessica Daniel and Charlotte Fage are to be congratulated on getting an overall ‘look’ that perfectly suited the show, and both had Principal roles too!  Standout costumes were Victoria’s silver dress, Jessica’s main costume, and the GaGa outfits but, truthfully, they all matched the characters.

Lighting was good, although there were a couple of dark spots early in the show when Joe appeared to be trying to stay in the light with some difficulty.   This was really the only questionable moment in the lighting plot though.  Sound was fine, some feedback when cast members got too far forward, but that is completely forgivable.

As you can tell, I loved the show, and the audience joined in with enthusiasm; that standing ovation at the end said it all.

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