Review: We Will Rock You, Theatre Royal Norwich

What a treat to see some home grown talent in a leading role in such an iconic musical.

Norfolk’s Anna Davey - who studied at Norwich’s Notre Dame sixth form - plays Scaramouche in this Ben Elton musical and practically blows everyone off stage with her amazing voice. She’s worth the ticket price all by herself!

This 2002 musical is set in the future where music is just computer generated pop and everyone has uploaded their soul onto the Globalsoft platform.

It is up to a small group of Bohemians who want to restore live music, especially rock and roll - and the show’s hero, Galileo (played by the energetic Ian McIntosh), is just the man to do it.

It’s all very slightly daft and really just a great vehicle to hear 24 of those legendary Queen songs from I Want It All to One Vision, Fat Bottomed Girls, Killer Queen and I Want To Break Free. You’re asked not to sing along, which is pretty hard, but the cast and the band, of course, create a heady atmosphere with plenty of dry ice, strobe lighting, and leather outfits.

Elton updates the script on a regular basis so there are plenty of topical laughs, Covid mentions, and do watch out for the fandango of a finale. It’s a special Kind of Magic.

The show continues until Saturday.

Sarah Hardy