Queen guitarist Brian May said he is “thrilled” to have We Will Rock You back on stage in London 21 years after the show burst on to the capital.
The hit musical, which features 24 of Queen’s greatest songs, will run for 12 weeks at the London Coliseum – where the rock band’s frontman Freddie Mercury performed with the Royal Ballet in 1979.
Comedian and screenwriter Ben Elton also returns to direct the show, having written the original script, which rivals the scale and spectacle of the band’s live performances.
Veteran rocker May, who was a founding member of British rock band Queen, said: “I’m thrilled we finally have this opportunity to put We Will Rock You back on stage in London, where it was born.”
The 75-year-old added: “The show’s original message of the fight to re-establish individuality in a dystopian corporate world is even more relevant now than when we began.
“It will be a completely new production that will burst on to the prestigious London Coliseum stage – but the story, the humor, and of course the Queen music, will hit you harder than ever. We WILL Rock You – again!”
The band, which consisted of lead singer Mercury, guitarist May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Taylor, 73, said: “Bigger, better, faster, funnier. Here we go again… yeaaaaaaaah!”
Elton, who won recognition for his work on popular sitcoms Blackadder and The Young Ones, said: “I hope somebody’s squared this with English Heritage because the fabulous London Coliseum is a Grade II listed theatre and We Will Rock You is gonna blow the roof off.”
The show first debuted at London’s Dominion Theatre in 2002 and was seen by six million people over 4600 performances during its 12-year run, organizers said.
Based on the music from Queen and set 300 years in the future, it tells the story of a few rock rebels fighting against an all-powerful company to gain freedom, individuality, and the rebirth of the age of rock.
Author: Londontopia Staff
This article was submitted and adapted by Londontopia Staff and used with a license from the Press Association UK (PA Media). All images and content used with permission.