We Will Rock You @ The Kings

The Bohemians are back. Following a successful 2009 tour, We Will Rock You returns to Scotland in all its crowd-pleasing glory. Packed with Queen’s inherently theatrical songs and a witty script by Ben Elton, it remains near impossible to resist the show’s charms.

In an imagined future where instruments are banned and live music has been replaced with ‘Computer Recorded Auto-tuned Pop, C-R-A-P’, it is somewhat surprising to see Noel Sullivan as Galileo, the young rebel destined to save rock‘n’roll. Was he not a member of a certain manufactured band, the kind that the plot credits with encouraging the demise of real music? Perhaps his former sins would be forgivable had he not simply acted as a depthless caricature of the role’s previous interpretations.

Vocally, the cast are strong but the principals’ predilections for the riff become, at times, a little self-indulgent. Although a culprit of this, Amanda Coutts’ sardonic Scaramouche remains a highlight. Whilst the chorus members appear tired, Coutts’ energy never lapses and her edgy characterisation is consistently engaging.

The great spectacle that the London production boasts is successfully captured on tour to a lesser scale; however, the constraints of visiting theatres of varying sizes are evident in the smaller sets and tighter staging. A rock concert vibe is ensured by the awesome band, with a guest appearance by Queen legend Brian May, to play the guitar solo in Bohemian Rhapsody, adding to the already electric atmosphere on press night. So go along, rise up fellow rebels and rock. [Laurin Campbell]