Creating live theatre based on songs and vocal performances that so many people know and love so well must be a daunting task. But when it’s approached as a team and with North Shore Theatre Company’s passion and energy, We Will Rock You is A Kind of Magic.
Being based on the music of Queen and written by them with Ben Elton and in fond memory of Freddie Mercury, the cast of 23 have huge multi-octave vocal boots to fill. The lyrical differences from the original Queen records are key to understanding the action, and under Andrea Van Den Bol’s musical direction every single word was perfectly enunciated and clear, without losing emotion. There were a few moments when the lead vocal volume was almost lost under the passion and power of the ensemble, but this seemed to improve later in the evening.
Jay Mancuso and Roxy Sofia’s gorgeously blended harmonies as Galileo and Scaramouche respectively were just as on-point in the ballads as in the uptempo rock numbers. Mancuso brings an understated innocence to their role as the emerging rebel hero Galileo, which lets their vocal range and delivery stand out.
Roxy Sofia stays anchored in Scaramouches's cute accent throughout her dialogue, which is balanced by her well-trained singing vibrato and the frustrated energy of someone wanting to Break Free from the norm (and well meaning casual sexism).
Alex Kirk’s Khashoggi clearly enjoys being bad, and she leans into the sinister physicality of the henchman character while retaining a sense of humour and holding her own vocally.
Jordan Berry relishes playing the Killer Queen, serving confidence and commanding presence with a side of sensuality. She has some of the more lyrically challenging numbers in both complexity and changes from the Queen originals, but lands them with clarity and sassy eye contact to the audience.
Buddy Hollyandthecrickets is the stereotyped hippie dude who is key to understanding the Bohemians and Luke Brattoni delivers the exposition and nods to rock idols with a spaced-out wonder and humour.
Lachlan Ceravolo and Chloe Horne as Brit and Oz have infectious energy and their young-love chemistry during “I Want it All” will bring a smile to your face. Brit’s passion for the cause of reigniting Rock and Roll is palpable in the energetic Ceravolo.
It’s worth the evening out to hear “No-One But You (Only the Good Die Young)” lead by Horne and beautifully sung by the supporting cast in front of a montage of rock and pre-rock stars who are now in musical heaven.
Director Sarah Webster and A.D. Mat Boyd-Skinner have cultivated a versatile ensemble, with many actors switching completely between Ga Ga Kids (robotic screen-obsessed clones) and Bohemians (rock’n’roll rebels) and giving both sides their all.
Rachel Levitt’s choreography ranged from robotic to uplifting, to threatening, to almost raunchy, and managed to feature wonderful skills of the cast without sacrificing the ‘ensemble’ feel. A lot of the action is embedded in the choreography and she used movement cleverly to develop the story on a minimal, static stage while still allowing us to see the more subtle interactions between characters.
The set, designed by director Sarah Webster and Victor Mrowka from Latarka Designs, is minimal, but the relatively small stage space is used to maximum effect with an industrial-style raised centre platform, and a modest-sized screen in the centre used effectively but not gratuitously. A few key set pieces were used to define the Bohemian’s grotto, and other locations of the story were effectively ‘set’ by lighting designed by Mrowka and Blake Williams.
NSTC’s We Will Rock You is on at the Zenith Theatre, Chatswood until 26 October, and if you ever dreamed of being a rock star, believe music should be live on real instruments, or just need a break from your phone, we suggest you go see it.
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