Rhombus Rota

It’s time for some rock and roll at Dereham Memorial Hall!

We Will Rock You is the hit musical with an iconic soundtrack by the legendary band that is Queen. With a book by Ben Elton, the show opened in 2002, and has had stints on the West End and multiple UK tours, showing its long lasting appeal. It’s a great choice for Dereham Theatre Company (DTCo) to take on! The DTCo are a local drama group, who put on a variety of productions throughout the year, along with their youth company, for a variety of age groups. As per our September Norfolk Theatre Guide, we are very excited to see their take on this show!

The story follows a dystopian future where all things music have been outlawed by the evil Globalsoft Corporation. A rebel group known as the Bohemians, spearheaded by newcomers Galilieo and Scaramouche, must restore rock music and freedom to save the day. The story isn’t perhaps what you’d expect from a Queen musical, but is solid nonetheless, transporting the audience to another world and really highlights the power of music in our everyday lives. It’s full of easter eggs for fans of different music genres, and has humour and heart, working for a broad audience. 

We interviewed the cast and creatives for this production, and you can tell a lot of passion has been put into it. The set uses a screen to act as a backdrop for the production, helping to change locations and also sets up that the show is set in a digital age. A raised platform at the back gives the cast more to work with, and additional set is brought in to enhance the respective scenes. The show features all the classic Queen hits including “We Will Rock You” and “Radio Gaga”, and uses a live band, led by Jonathan Gracie, which adds to the concert-feel of the performance! The costumes are effective, with a nice contrast between the more rugged attire for the Bohemians, and Globalsoft employees having a more uniform look.

This is a busy show for the ensemble, with larger dance numbers utilising a lot of the cast, and solos which use a smaller ensemble as backing dancers too. They really helped make the world feel lived in. Lee Chapman’s Buddy is a character we’re introduced to early on, who’s acts a storyteller throughout the show of what rock and roll used to be like. Chapman has some excellent comedic timing and drew a lot of laughs from the audience, especially in the second act.

For our villains, Khashoggi is played by Corinna Willmoth, portraying a measured and merciless character who will do anything for the success of Globalsoft. Willmoth has some excellent chemistry with the rest of the cast, and makes for a suitibly evil villain to root against! Kayleigh Poacher’s Killer Queen is a very different character, leading with passion as opposed to procedure and corporate greed. Poacher’s musical numbers are energetic with some very strong vocals, with “Another One Bites The Dust” being a highlight.

Leading the Bohemians, Brit is played by Ryan Standing who is full of energy, moving about the stage dynamically, injecting the character’s sense of urgency and intense passion. Standing leads “I Want it All” confidently too. He works well alongside Charlotte Caldwell’s Meat, who plays the Bohemian with a lot of heart, and has some terrific vocals. Caldwell’s rendition of “No-One But You” was especially heartwarming, as the show pays respect to musicians no longer with us.

CJ Carroll plays Galilelo, known as the “Dreamer” who prophecy says will save rock and roll. Carroll brings an immense amount of innocence and heart to the role, making Galileo someone you want to succeed early on. Carroll’s vocals are also terrific, tackling some iconic songs such as “We Are The Champions” and “I Want to Break Free” brilliantly. Carroll has some brilliant chemistry with Imogen Addison’s Scaramouche, with the pair’s scenes being a highlight of the show throughout. Addison gives a standout performance here, playing a steadfast character who consistently drew laughs from the audience with the character’s one-liners and wit. Addison has some phenomenal vocals too, belting songs like “Somebody to Love” and “Who Wants to Live Forever” with confidence.

This production is full of good spirit and brilliant performers, along with some classic Queen hits used in a fun story paying homage to the power of music over the years. Many thanks to DTCo for the complimentary tickets to this production. We Will Rock You is performing at Dereham Memorial Hall until 3 October. Book your tickets now!