We Will Rock You

We Will Rock You is the famous musical written by Ben Elton, using the music of Queen. The decision to stage the full show rather than the JR or Teen version was a bold choice.

Tom Beirne kept the show flowing well, maintaining a good pace, and some of his set choices supported this effectively. It was clear that Sophie Carroll had worked hard on the harmonies. This is a challenging show vocally, and she pushed the children out of their comfort zones something they succeeded with in most places.

Choreography is difficult for this musical because so many numbers are iconic and instantly recognisable. However, Heather worked to give each song its own character, even if the differences were subtle. In the larger numbers there was some masking, but this was inevitable given the size of the cast and the challenges of the stage.

The lead role of Galileo was played by Harry Starr. He understood the character well and portrayed the stuttering and confusion convincingly. His voice was strong, especially in the lower range. He proved he could sing higher in Who Wants to Live Forever, and I found myself wishing he had pushed into that range more often. Georgia Ross played Scaramouche, delivering excellent characterisation and an outstanding vocal performance.

Edie Miles took on the role of Killer Queen. She had a strong presence and conveyed the character’s authority well. Vocally, this is an incredibly demanding role, and although she found it challenging at times, she also had moments where she sounded very good. Evan Nicholls as Khashoggi was excellent—every movement was deliberate and controlled, and her performance of Seven Seas of Rhye was strong, especially given how difficult the song is.

The duo Britney and Oz were played by Rio Priest and Rosie Lawther‑Pratt. They had great chemistry on stage and worked well together. Rio’s energy was incredible and lifted the atmosphere every time they appeared. Rosie clearly has an amazing voice; building up to the big notes will help her as a performer and strengthen the storytelling within the songs, but her vocal ability is undeniable.

Finn Clynes played Buddy, a great role performed with charm. His characterisation of the old hippy was particularly enjoyable.

This was the first time I have seen microphones used here, as the audience is usually so close, but it was a good decision—it gave each performer a little extra amplification without overpowering the space.

The set was well thought out. I liked the use of the TVs, and the cloths on tracks were an inspired idea. They kept the pace moving and ensured scene changes were slick.

As always, I was very well looked after by the team at Lytton Players, and I look forward to the next show

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