We Will Rock You - School Edition

WE WILL ROCK YOU is a high-energy, adrenaline-fuelled, fist pumping musical. This show contains more than twenty iconic Queen hits, including Bohemian Rhapsody, It’s a Kind of Magic, Somebody to Love, No One But You (Only the Good Die Young), and of course, We Will Rock You. Set in a future where individuality is outlawed, the internet is king and true rock is banned, the story follows two young revolutionaries who dare to defy the system to save the future of rock ‘n’ roll.

This show is a big ask for any musical society to achieve and puts huge vocal demands on the lead characters. However, the incredibly talented pupils of St David’s College, did not disappoint! Some of the cast, took turns to play the lead roles across the four performances, while others remained consistent throughout. Both line-ups gave the audience a superb rendition of this musical. 

The review below reflects on the contribution made by those retaining their character across all performances and those whose role changed as described above.

The lighting and sound were fantastic throughout. The graphic screen enhanced the production with a range of backgrounds to reflect the various scenes and songs. This allowed for a minimalist set that worked well with this large cast. The props used, including a full-size motorbike, added favourably to the production. Congratulations to the technical team, the DSM, the props team, and the backstage crew.

The costumes were well planned and allowed the audience to easily differentiate between the various groups. The eclectic styles of the Bohemians worked well in contrast to the white outfits of the Ga Ga Kids. 

The band was fantastic! To hear live music as part of a production is a real treat. Rebecca, Raphy, Daniel, Tom, Hudson, Thomas, Moses, and Paddy thank-you for your contribution and congratulations to you all.

Charles Liquorish played the role of the teacher. Charles is very charismatic and did a super job with this part. His projection was good and his strong facial expressions brought his own style to the character. Well-done Charles.

All the Teen Queens gave us just the right amount of attitude! They worked well together as a group and delivered their choreography beautifully. The Bohemians all contributed positively to this production and understood their role completely. Evie Hesketh Roberts gave a lovely performance as the Doctor, dishing out electric shocks with great timing! The Police, Ga Ga Kids and Super Yuppies all supported the action to create a fabulous production.

Friday ensemble – lead roles

Our protagonist, Galileo Figaro, was played by Bertie Chandler. This character should appear as rebellious, determined and driven. Bertie captured the elements of Galileo brilliantly. A strong, commanding performance that engaged the audience from the offset. Bertie demonstrated clear diction throughout and wowed the audience with his incredible vocals. Congratulations Bertie. April Williams played scaramouche. April teamed beautifully with Bertie and the pair gave the audience a selection of fantastic duets including Who Wants to Live Forever and Hammer to Fall. April’s strong vocals lent themselves to super solo performances too. Scaramouche is a sarcastic, rebellious character and April portrayed these characteristics very well. A great performance, well done April.

Amelie Russell played the role of the ruthless Killer Queen. This role demands an authoritative persona alongside the ability to perform several iconic songs. Amelie performed this role beautifully. She embodied the strictness of the character, always in control of those around her. Amelie gave a super performance of Another One Bites the Dust. Well-done Amelie. The partnering of Amelie and Archie Davies as Khashoggi worked well. Archie presented as the arrogant, right-hand man of the Killer Queen with flair and consistency. He commanded attention, had good comic timing, and gave a super portrayal of this character. Wonderful job Archie.

Flynn Thomas Morgan and Lucy Duncalf played the roles of Brit and Oz. This couple worked very well together and gave us a convincing portrayal of the two Bohemians. Both Flynn and Lucy had excellent diction. Flynn displayed good comic timing and moved around the stage with ease. Lucy had a lovely presence on stage and successfully embodied the rebellious teenager this role requires. I very much enjoyed their duet, I Want it All, with great vocals from both actors. An excellent performance of, No One But You, by Lucy, can only be described, as a showstopper. Congratulations to you both.

Buddy was played by Teagan Girling. The wise, mentor of the Bohemians, Teagan embraced this role and gave a good, convincing performance. She had lovely facial expressions and remained committed to the character throughout, changing the tone of her voice to reflect the different situations within the story. Teagan gave a super performance of These Are the Days of Our Lives. Well-done Teagan.

Saturday ensemble – lead roles

Harry Isaacs played the character of Galileo Figaro. Harry embraced this confused, rebellious character and made it his own. His use of the space was excellent, and he moved around the stage with ease. Harry gave a superb vocal performance, taking on some classic songs including I Want to Break Free. He was partnered with Isabella Aubert as Scaramouche. These two actors worked very well together. Harry’s agitated depiction of Galileo contrasted beautifully with Isabella’s edgy, sharp-witted characterisation of Scaramouche. Isabella gave a fabulous rock-chick vibe, to her portrayal of Scaramouche with super vocals on Somebody to Love. Splendid work Isabella. The pair complemented each other and while they both demonstrated great vocal competence throughout the production, I particularly enjoyed their performance of Hammer to Fall. Congratulations to you both.

Grace Hill played Killer Queen. A challenging role for an actor and performed with confidence by Grace. Grace played this character as controlling and demanding and brought us several big songs. Her moments of sheer frustration at the actions of her employees added another dimension to this character. A super performance Grace, well-done.

The role of Khashoggi was played by Oliver Pearce. Oliver had a strong presence in this role. He had consistently good expression in his voice and great comic timing. He competently led the ensemble in a rendition of Seven Seas of Rye, a superb performance Oliver. Congratulations.

Finn Rose played Brit. Finn engaged with the audience with charisma and fun. He had a superb presence on stage and gave a strong, convincing portrayal of the character. A great performer! Finn worked effectively with Katleho Nkome playing the part of Oz. The pair had super rapport and complimented each other very well. Katleho had a great attitude in her portrayal of Oz. She played the character as energetic and cool, perfect for the role. Both actors had super vocals. I particularly liked their contribution to Headlong. Fabulous work!

Dylan Thompson Jenkins played the character of Buddy. The character of Buddy should be portrayed as wise and grounded, a mentor to the other Bohemians. Dylan embraced this role and made it his own. He had great comic timing, strong vocals, and a good understanding of pace. He gave a lovely rendition of These are the Days of our Lives. A super performance Dylan. 

Watching We Will Rock You performed by St David’s College was an absolute pleasure. The teamwork demonstrated by these young people as they moved between roles, while supporting each other, was second to none. I am sure the staff that worked with this group and Mr Russell, the Headteacher are enormously proud of each and every one of their talented pupils. Congratulations to you all on a fabulous show!

Thank you for inviting me to your production and I look forward to seeing what the pupils of St David’s College do next.

 

The views in this report are solely the opinion of the writer.

 

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