REVIEW: We Will Rock You

‘We Will Rock You’ by Nelson Youth Theatre Company. Theatre Royal, 10 April 2024. Reviewed by John van Gosliga.

I had the pleasure in attending the opening night of ‘We Will Rock You’, the musical.

Set 50 years into the future where original, independent music is banned, the story is about a group of rock outlaws called the Bohemians who are trying to rediscover these forgotten songs.

This fast paced and easy to follow story line with amazing local talent will entertain you and leave you wanting more.

The musical numbers are from Queen and the audience is encouraged to sing along, clap and stomp their feet.

There were some very strong individual actors who belted out song after song with a whole lot of audience appreciation.

Stand-outs for me were Joel Sangster and Michaela Carruthers, who not only added a romantic element to the show, but also their very strong and powerful voices left us in awe.

I loved Tobias Young’s character and his clear dictation. His great entertaining stage presence made him enjoyable to watch.

Amelia Hall added depth and helped to add a comical side to the show.

Every great musical needs baddies and Maya Dalton and Amelia Scowen were the perfect choice. It did take a couple of songs for them to find their voices and some of the words were lost when the pace of the songs increased.

The rest of the cast were fantastic, and the final song was awesome. I particularly liked how lyrics from the 50’s to the 80’s were added to add humour to this musical.

The set and costumes were simple and effective with the screened images creating different dimensions and artistically brings the show to life.

If you love fast paced musicals and love Queen then you need to attend. This is a Nelson Youth Theatre production, but the talent far exceeds most adult acted shows and appeals to all ages.

I encourage you to get off the couch and rock on, Nelson!

‘We Will Rock You’ is on at the Theatre Royal until 19 April. Get your tickets here.