We Will Rock You

Photo Credit: Mirvish Productions

The iconic West End jukebox musical We Will Rock You has returned to Canada after nearly twenty years. Featuring songs from the legendary British rock band Queen, We Will Rock You, directed by Steve Bolton, is set in the futuristic and hypertechnological Earth, iPlanet, that is dominated by mass conformity and the omnipresent Globalsoft Corporation—itself ruled by the Killer Queen. In this world, music is forbidden, and rock n’roll is unheard of; thus, protagonists Galileo and Scaramouche embark on a journey to restore the freedom that this genre of music symbolizes.

As a jukebox musical, it is undeniable that Queen’s songs are at the heart of We Will Rock You. Indeed, the cast exhibited impressive belting and harmonization that truly made the theatre feel like a concert. Unfortunately, vocals alone are not enough to anchor weak plots and performances. As such, it is hard to see this production of We Will Rock You as living up to the legendary status of its namesake band.

Visually, We Will Rock You looks like a polished Mirvish performance. Costume designer Vanessa Borris undeniably embellished the cast in ostentatious and fashionable rock n’roll and cyborg couture, clearly delineating between the various settings of the story. From denim jackets to flowing skirts of luminous colours, the Bohemians’ attire captured the expressiveness, freedom, and unity that music offers socially ostracized groups. In contrast, the Globalsoft Corporation workers were clothed in meticulously angularly patterned uniforms in simplistic shades of white and black. The two styles cleverly contrasted, creating a stronger visual representation of the narrative’s overarching theme of the struggle between individuality and conformity.

Moreover, scenic designer Jean-Marc Saumier beautifully realized the narrative’s juxtaposing atmospheres through an innovative use of screens and sets. The towering and glowing screens realistically depicted the structural rigidity and constant surveillance of iPlanet. The illuminating blue light spotlighted the overwhelming nature of artificiality and the unattainability of freedom in a dystopian society. In addition to the lighting, the prop work in this production is sophisticated. Most notably, the daunting halo shot lasers for electric shock torture, illustrating the all-consuming power of Globalsoft in a tenuously realistic way. The sleek Globalsoft setting conflicted poignantly with the Bohemian residence, where the gentle glow from the fusing of warmer colours evoked comfort and solace. Simultaneously, the seemingly dilapidated and chaotic set contrasted the uniform Globalsoft setting, symbolizing a deliberate rejection of conformity and instead a celebration of unrestrained creative human expression.

Next, We Will Rock You should be commended for how it embraces the magic of live performance. Memorably, the interactive element of giving the crowd glowsticks to wave throughout the performance connected audience members to each other and a larger sense of rock n’roll fervour. Audiences of all ages shared in the fun; younger kids swung the stick around with genuine enthusiasm while adults cracked smiles at the invigoratingly playful atmosphere. Although the glowsticks were burdensome for me, as I had snacks in hand and a dedicated mission to focus on taking mental notes for critiquing, I could not ignore the contagious spirit of joy. Seeing the people around me cheer and sing along so vibrantly was undeniably a testament to the power of musical theatre (and Queen) in uniting communities.

Finally, performance-wise, Maggie Lacasse as the Killer Queen exemplified astonishing vocal ability. Her transition from a childish, pitying tone into an outburst of piercing stridency, combined with her ability to maintain her tone during songs, showed her strong commitment to her character. Similarly, Caleb Ajao, who played Brit, showcased unmatchable energy that invigorated his dances. His facial expression during his movements created a genuine sense of character embodiment, as if Ajao was possessed with the spirit of Brit. We see the full force of Ajao’s dedication in his unwavering physicality of a gentle slouch, grand explosive movements, and dominant interactions with the surrounding Bohemians defined his eye-catching stage presence.

While We Will Rock You excelled in its ensemble performances, its leads lacked the effortless charisma that rock n’roll demands, making it hard to believe that they were our supposed saviours of the universe. Notably, as Galileo, Callum Lurie’s dance moves became increasingly careless as he travelled upstage, ignoring the stress of synchronization until he was downstage. Moreover, his shallow dance moves were often overshadowed by the Bohemians, who integrated subtle creativity into established choreography. Although this was less of an issue in the iPlanet setting, as that subplot required stiffness and suppression, the same cannot be said for the Bohemian settings that are meant to capture unrestrained joy and creative freedom.

Lurie’s awkwardness was only amplified by his fellow co-lead, Paige Foskett, as Scaramouche. Like Lurie, Foskett’s dynamic performances seemed limited to when she was downstage; when she moved upstage, her previously vivacious moves dulled, leading her to fade into the background. Overall, the leads for this production were poorly cast, as they were often undermined by the superior rock n’roll exuberance portrayed by the ensemble. Considering that other ensemble actors were able to maintain appropriate energy and tones, the leads’ lacklustre performances seem to be less of a directorial oversight and more of an acting challenge.

Next, for a performance that relies on its music, the transitions between narrative and song in We Will Rock You were jarring. While the dialogue would more or less stumble into a song, the volume of the incoming music would spike dramatically, not giving the audience any time to adjust to the new context. It felt as if the production was rushing through the dialogue to play the next Queen song, which leaves the unfortunate impression that director Steve Bolton was hoping to rely on the iconic nostalgia of the band’s music to propel his show. These dissonant transitions were further magnified by issues with the microphones. Towards the end of the performance, when Ozzy entered on stage for a scream, the microphone lagged behind, leaving the audience in silence for a few awkward seconds. Perhaps even the microphones were enchanted by the previous performance of the eponymous "We Will Rock You."

Ultimately, We Will Rock You is a show that relies on its vocals to carry an otherwise flat script and performance. While the plot is undeniably meant to be theatrical and campy, that does not justify its invisible acting and tech issues. Granted, with its themes of Orwellian societies, technology and artificial intelligence in art, and creative liberty, there are certainly hints of a more meaningful core underneath the nonsensical script. Still, the performances fall short, making it hard to see We Will Rock You as anything more than an excuse to capitalize on iconic Queen songs and nostalgia.