Smash-hit musical based on the songs of legendary British group Queen is coming to town
LIZ SMAILES
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Seen by more than six million people across the globe, the theatrical performance depicting the world in 2350 promises to enthral audiences with its spectacular production and more than 20 of Queen's classic hits. |
The champion of musicals is coming to Bangkok. We Will Rock You, the West End musical celebrating the music of legendary rock band Queen, is set to enthral audiences in Thailand next month.
The team responsible for bringing this award-winning musical to Bangkok theatre-goers is International Cultural Promotions (ICP), a highly-experienced local promotion company which has presented many international shows here before, including the Broadway smash hit West Side Story in 2006.
Aside from bringing spectacular musicals to Thailand, ICP is probably best known as the organiser of the Bangkok International Festival of Dance & Music, the country's most prominent and longest running cultural shows event. In 2008, the 10th instalment of the annual festival will open early, for one night only on July 30, when renowned conductor Zubin Mehta will lead the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The festival, being held under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, will then take a break before continuing from September 30 to October 15.
The phenomenal show We Will Rock You has gone from strength to strength since its debut in 2002, playing to packed houses and standing ovations every night in London's West End. When on tour, the musical has captivated theatre-goers and Queen fans around the world, from London to Las Vegas, Toronto to Tokyo and Singapore to Hong Kong. To date, over six million people have seen this high-energy mega-musical.
Written by the award-winning writer and comedian Ben Elton, in partnership with Queen band members Brian May and Roger Taylor, the essence of We Will Rock You comes from the 26 Queen songs that have been shaped into a two-act musical. Songs include favourites like We Will Rock You, Killer Queen, Radio Ga Ga, We Are the Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody.
"Two important factors that we always consider when bringing a musical show to Thailand are the audience's familiarity with the songs and the spectacle of the production," says Egasith Chotpakditrakul, executive director of ICP.
"This year, we decided to bring in We Will Rock You because Queen is a legendary rock band and has an amazing number of fans all over the world. And what makes the show so special for Thai audiences is that Thai people, whether they are in their fifties or twenties, are familiar with Queen's songs. Hit numbers such as We Are the Champions are already well known to Thai audiences.
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The two-act musical boasts an international line-up. |
We Will Rock You features stunning costumes, sets and lighting. |
"I personally believe that a show is much more entertaining when audiences can sing along, and I am sure that this production will be one of the most stimulating musicals ever brought to Thailand," says Egasith.
Given Queen's vast repertoire - and late singer Freddie Mercury's distinctive voice - trying to squeeze the band's whole body of work into one evening would be like trying to move a herd of elephants down Sukhumvit Road during rush hour. However, Queen fans will not be disappointed with the performances of their favourite hits from a group that is synonymous with bombastic stadium rock.
We Will Rock You delivers a show that reflects the scale and spectacle that marked Queen's live performances and earned the band its position in rock history.
Though the original incarnation of Queen effectively ended with the death of Mercury in 1991, the band's songs are still often heard on the radio and there remains tremendous support for the group which formed in London in 1970. This enduring affection is reflected in the popularity of We Will Rock You, which continues to fill concert venues around the world, enthralling audiences young and old, seven years after its premiere in London.
Ben Elton's story is set in a tongue-in-cheek dystopian future where originality and individualism are shunned. The year is 2350 and globalisation is complete. Evil corporation GlobalSoft, run by the Killer Queen, has turned Earth into Planet Mall, banning live music and feeding the kids manufactured clothes, tunes and opinions over the Internet. Everyone watches the same movies, wears the same clothes, and thinks the same thoughts. It's a monotonous, safe, Ga Ga world.
But resistance is growing and rumours persist among mock-punk dropouts, the Bohemians, that musical instruments buried by rock-rebel heroes Queen can free the world. Cue the arrival of young Galileo Figaro. He meets a goth girl who calls him Gazza, while he rechristens her Scaramouche. Together it's their quest to bring about the return of rock 'n' roll.
We Will Rock You is an enormous, multi-million dollar musical featuring stunning costumes, sets and lighting. The sets are designed by Mark Fisher, who has previously designed sets for Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. Arlene Phillips provides some jaw dropping choreography to add to her earlier work on shows including Starlight Express, Grease, Saturday Night Fever and the recent West End revival of The Sound of Music.
The talented international cast includes New Zealand's pop princess Annie Crummer as the Killer Queen and Rock Star INXS finalist MiG Ayesa, who reprises his West End role as Galileo.
Freddie Mercury was a one-of-a-kind. His lyrics, voice and live performances revealed stunning vision and MiG is aware that he has a big pair of shoes to fill - some may add tight trousers too - though he has successfully attained a great rapport with the material through his own commendable talents.
The production itself - whether the cast, costume, light or sound - has won many awards since its first run in 2002. In every city that the show has opened, it has been a popular success, with one critic even saying, "This show should run forever."
As for Thai audiences, Egasith says: "I am confident that the show will receive a great welcome from Thai audiences, and I guarantee that once you've seen it, you'll definitely want to come back!"
We Will Rock You will be staged at Muang Thai Ratchadalai Theatre at The Esplanade shopping centre on Ratchadaphisek Road from July 12-27. There'll be one show daily (except Mondays) at 7:30pm plus a 2:30pm matinee on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are priced at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 baht, and are available at Thaiticketmajor booths (tel 02-262-3456) or visit http://www.thaiticketmajor.com.
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