The original production of We Will Rock You opened on at the Dominion Theatre, London, with previews beginning on 26 April. The Guardian wrote that the premise "really is as sixth form as it sounds", called the production "ruthlessly packaged and manufactured" and opined that the "sometimes funny" libretto exists mainly to "devise more unlikely ways to wring out another Queen song." The Daily Mirror wrote that "Ben Elton should be shot for this risible story." The Daily Telegraph described it as "guaranteed to bore you rigid" and " prolefeed at its worst." However, some individual performances received praise and the production remains a popular success. London's critics almost uniformly panned the show, criticising the concept and direction. The script was eventually completed midway through 2001. Elton has also stated that he was in part inspired by the computer-controlled dystopia of the 1999 science-fiction film The Matrix. He worked closely with May and Taylor to incorporate Queen's songs into the story. He suggested taking the musical down a different path than initially imagined, creating an original story that would capture the spirit of much of their music. In 2000, Ben Elton was approached to start talks with May and Taylor on the project. About this time, Robert De Niro's production company Tribeca Productions expressed interest in a Queen musical, but it found the original idea difficult to work with. Initially, the intent was to create a biographical story of Freddie Mercury. 3.17 Royal Caribbean Ship – Anthem of the SeasĪccording to Brian May, Queen's manager Jim Beach had spoken with the band about creating a jukebox musical with Queen's songs since the mid-1990s.3.11 North American Regional Theatre Premiere.Many productions are still active globally. A number of international productions have since followed the original, and We Will Rock You has been seen in six of the world's continents. The eleventh longest-running musical in West End history, the London production closed on after a final performance in which Brian May and Roger Taylor both performed. Although the musical was at first panned by critics, it has become an audience favourite, becoming the longest-running musical at the Dominion Theatre, celebrating its tenth anniversary on.
Clarke and Kerry Ellis in principal roles.
Musical instruments and composers are forbidden, and rock music is all but unknown.ĭirected by Christopher Renshaw, choreographed by Arlene Phillips and with musical supervision and vocal arrangements by Mike Dixon, the original West End production opened at the Dominion Theatre on, with Tony Vincent, Hannah Jane Fox, Sharon D.
The musical tells the story of a group of Bohemians who struggle to restore the free exchange of thought and fashion, and live music in a distant future where everyone dresses, thinks and acts the same. We Will Rock You (often abbreviated as WWRY) is a jukebox musical based on the songs of British rock band Queen with a book by Ben Elton. Laurence Olivier Award for Most Popular Show We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, London