"We Will Rock You"

By Allan Yap & Nigel A. Skelchy

Also found in notesfromvenus.com

"I have dreams you see. And I hear noises, screeching, thudding, b-banging noises. And words, words drop into my head, too many words. Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody...I am the Walrus. This is Major Tom to Ground Control. Do you hear the drums Fernando? I am - the Dancing Queen! I mean what the Hell is a Tambourine Man? What's the story morning glory? Who was The Real Slim Shady? It's torture, and all I know, and I don't know why I know it, is that I really really really want to Zig-a-Zig Ah."

So speaks Galileo Figaro aka Shagileo aka The Dreamer (Mig Ayesa of "Rockstar; INXS" fame) in the touring production of "We Will Rock You" a musical based loosely on the music of Queen and Freddie Mercury. Shades of "Mamma Mia?" As alike as Chalk and Cheese.

The year is 2350 and Galileo aka The Dreamer and Scaramouche (Sivan Raphaely) are misfits amongst the Boyzone Boys and Ga Ga Girls. Galileo dreams of these lyrics which are illegal as all live music and instruments have been banned. One day, Galileo and Scaramouche meet and go off to save the world from Computer Recorded Anodyne Pop or CRAP, the prescribed music promulgated by the conglomerate Globalsoft, headed by the Killer Queen.

4 of us take a leisurely drive down to Singapore for a fun weekend of eating (more of that in upcoming posts) and watching this musical. What's not to like, we thought. Queen music, a frothy musical, and we'll be back home before anyone realises we've gone.

There we were walking into the theatre preparing to enjoy ourselves when WHAM...we're rockin' OUT! Singing along to all the more familiar Queen tunes, screeching falsetto notes, it becames, especially towards the end, more like a Rock Concert.

The cast had interspersed the dialogue with local humour and generally, provided a high energy performance worthy of Queen's music.

The fact that it had Brian May's and Roger Taylor's imprimatur made it seem even more authentic and served to remind and reintroduce Queen and the über-genius, Freddie Mercury to a new audience. When I got home, I quickly pulled out all my Queen CDs and started listening to them all over again with a new ear and Freddie doesn't dim with age. If anything, his talent shines through more than ever in this day of American Idol and manufactured bands.

Rock on!

"We Will Rock You"