Originally published by L.S. Media. September 9th 2011.

Cast: Ian Reddington, Earl Carpenter, Noel Sullivan, Amanda Coutts, Ashley J Russell, Leon Lopez, jenny Douglas, Mathew Craig, Nicola Poustie.

It took time, but finally the global smash hit We Will Rock You found its way to Liverpool, ripped up the rule book on entertaining an audience that were already near to giving a standing ovation before they even opened the curtain and gave the kind of performance that the culture capital of the U.K. deserved and gave every other production due to come to Liverpool this year a very big headache and a huge hurdle to overcome.

Set in a far off future bereft of real music and where all the instruments have been outlawed and destroyed by the Globalsoft Corporation, comes two young rebels, one a dreamer, the other a misfit, both of whom have the potential to finally save Planet Mall, formally known as Earth, and bring real rock music back to the consciousness of all those who have forgotten the truth.

To some this may sound like an ideal, to have music programmed by a computer, every one dressing identically, enjoying the same piped music but as the excellent Ian Reddington as the aging hippy librarian Pop points out, where’s the soul? Where’s the individuality?

Noel Sullivan as Galileo and Leon Lopez as rebel leader Britney Spears were real finds for the roles, dynamic and a real object of affections for the cheering women in the crowd and even Noel Sullivan, after his tenure in Hear’ Say must have been chuckling at the irony of some of the lines that dismissed the manufactured basis of some put together groups.

The two actors taking on the roles of Meatloaf and Scaramouche had very big shoes to fill in the form of Jenna Lee James who, as one of the original actors from the shows beginnings at the Dominion Theatre had played these two parts with near consummate and outstanding ease. Both the superb Amanda Coutts and the sensational Jenny Douglas matched Jenna’s skill and performance and it may be now hard to think of anybody other than these two fine actors in the part.

Everything from Queen’s signature music to the visual displays on screen were greeted with much applause during the night and it was easy to see why as the cast, the musicians and the ensemble all gave performances Freddie Mercury would have been proud of.

Liverpool audiences are no fools and if they like something then they will make it welcome, if that’s the case We Will Rock You can expect nothing less that the best silver at every meal and the most gracious of nods every time it crosses the road.

We Will Rock You has to be the finest theatre event of the year. Miss this at your peril!

5 stars

Ian D. Hall