BMOS We Will Rock You at Alexandra, Birmingham Review
Written by Charis for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical written by Ben Elton, utilising many of Queen’s biggest, unforgettable hits, including; We Are the Champions, I Want to Break Free, It’s a Kind of Magic, and more. Their most iconic song, Bohemian Rhapsody, is also included serving a special role within the show.
Set three hundred years in the future, it tells the story of Galileo and Scaramouche as they escape the control of Globalsoft, the corporation ruling the iPlanet, to join rebel Bohemians in the fight against Killer Queen, with the aim of rediscovering the power of rock music. Musical instruments are forbidden, with only computer composed music allowed. This particular production has been adapted to have a bigger focus on the internet and AI than the original, an excellent way of linking the piece into modern concerns. Free thinking and individuality are banned in this dystopian future. Only “the dreamer” can bring freedom and individuality back to the people of iPlanet.
Alongside Queen’s music which serves as the backbone for the piece are references to many other popular culture pieces often serving as comedy. Names of famous musicians were also assumed by the rebels to honour the musical heroes of the past.
This local production of We Will Rock You by BMOS showcases the themes of community, standing out in the crowd and individuality. As a community theatre show it certainly was a good fit, showcasing local talent in the Birmingham and wider Midlands community from music, costumes, staging, acting and lighting.
The range and skill of acting was excellent, with well-timed humour and an organic feeling to the interactions on stage. Gavin Whichello’s Brit, and Charlotte Jervis’ Scaramouche deserve special praise for their interactions with the rest of the cast, with excellent stage presence and feeling like a driving force for the performance as a whole. Robbie Love as Khashoggi brought an excellent drive as an antagonist and seemed to be genuinely enjoying the role every step of the way.
This piece offers excellent lighting and costuming, from the faceless enforcers to the gaga girls and bohemians, every costume feels intentional and well designed, and the clever use of lighting offers excellent tone and truly immerses the audience in the sci-fi atmosphere of the piece.
The set construction by Live LX featured a raised platform and staircase at the back of the stage, allowing performers to use different levels throughout the production, adding visual interest to the staging which helped push the narrative, The inclusion of a large video screen, covering much of the upper stage, allowed a variety of topical video content to be shown, assisting the storytelling. Futuristic neon-filled graphics created the clean Globalsoft settings, whilst run-down, planet earth backdrops helped bring the underground rebellion locations to life. There were also a variety of pieces of set rolled on and off the stage including screens, futuristic gates and a motorcycle, further elevating the set.
Overall, the piece demonstrated why BMOS is highly regarded on the amateur theatre circuit. Whilst We Will Rock You is a longer piece of theatre running at 2 hours and 40 minutes including interval, it did not feel long. If you are looking for an entertaining way to spend some time, it is well worth going to see it.
BMOS’ production of We Will Rock you is on at The Alexandra Theatre until Saturday 13th June.
★★★★