We Will Rock You — it’s a kind of magic
Image: WE WILL ROCK YOU, North Shore Theatre Company. Image: supplied
It may be small and independent, but North Shore Theatre Company can rock out with the best of them. Their current production of We Will Rock You, now on at Chatswood’s Zenith Theatre, is a showcase of extraordinary talent, and proof that you don’t need fancy tech and a big budget when you’ve got passion and imagination.
We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical featuring songs by powerhouse rock group, Queen, and a book by Ben Elton. The plot, it has to be said, is threadbare, clearly a vehicle for delivering as many Queen hits as possible, however, there are plenty of laughs and even some moments of thoughtful insight.
The show was first staged in 2002, when the burgeoning digital age was just beginning to show its dark side. Elton captures the cynicism of the time and projects it 300 years into the future. Earth is now called Planet Mall and is ruled by a super conglomerate called Globalsoft Corporation, headed by Killer Queen.
In this bit-driven world, conformity is strictly enforced. Young people dress identically and consume the same culture; individualism is not tolerated, nor is any non-computer generated music. Musical instruments have disappeared from the planet. But our hero, Galileo, has an inner fire that cannot be snuffed, and he needs to break free.
Meanwhile, there is a prophecy surrounding a saviour known as “The Dreamer” who will find the lost musical instruments and release Planet Mall from its cyber-binds. There’s romance, there’s drama, there’s cartoon violence, and there are a one or two cringy pop references, but it’s all a lot of fun.
Jay Mancuso plays Galileo as a young, somewhat androgynous man, high-spirited and naïve. Mancuso has a voice that holds the audience in thrall. It is powerful and dynamic, yet rich and filled with emotional nuance.
Roxy Sofia is delightful as the feisty, spicy Scaramouche. She and Mancuso play well off each other, teasing out romantic tension. Sofia’s transcendent voice blends beautifully with Mancuso’s and they have some truly subliminal harmonic moments.
Jordan Berry plays Killer Queen like a diva, with simmering malevolence and vocal delivery that could crush a hapless Bohemian into dust. The Queen’s second commander, Kashoggi is played with equal vigour by Alex Kirk.
Chloe Horne is Oz, female leader of the rebellious Bohemians. She is energetic and quite charismatic. Lachlan Ceravolo is the bearded, kilt-wearing male leader of the Bohemians with the unlikely name of Britney Spears. He is the only main male character who sings and his robust voice brings pleasant variation.
Luke Brattoni plays the aging hippy librarian, Buddy. Brattoni is not a singer but he does an excellent spoken/sung rendition of “These Are The Days of Our Lives” backed up by the ensemble. Buddy is one of the stronger characters, acting as kind of a narrator, and Brattoni plays the part with aplomb.
The set is simple: a platform that resembles a small concert podium with stage lights behind it. That’s pretty much it. The lighting helps create mood and scene changes and the very talented cast do the rest. The choreography is also simple but impressive, giving those with some dancing skills a chance to sparkle while allowing the non-dancers to be a respectable part of an overall effect.
This is a production in which the performance outstrips the material. Think of it as well-executed Queen tribute concert that is poignant at times and gritty at others, but always enjoyable.
