 A poster of “We Will Rock You,” a jukebox musical, based on British rock band Queen’s hit songs, which plays at Seongnam Arts Center, from Feb. 2 to 24. |
Staff Reporter
``We Will Rock You,'' a jukebox musical, based on British rock band Queen's hit songs, will take to the stage in Korea next month.
The musical, named after Queen's hit single of the same name, will be staged at Seongnam Arts Center from Feb. 2 to 24.
The London tour team brings to Korea the show with its original cast members. It will be a first for both the team and the musical in the country.
Written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in cooperation with the band's members Brian May and Roger Taylor, the musical was born through Queen's manager Jim Beach and the band's guitarist May discussion on the idea of creating a performance depicting the biographical story of vocalist Freddie Mercury who died in 1991.
Incorporating Queen's songs, the script for the musical was eventually completed in 2001.
The story revolves around a dystopian world in 2300 in a vaguely Orwellian world where musical instruments are forbidden and rock music is unknown ― instead people watch the same movies, listen to the same music, wear the same clothes and think the same thoughts.
All these are controlled by the mega-corporation Globalsoft, which is headed by the ``Killer Queen'' and the commander of her secret police, Khashoggi.
In this world, those against the company's control end up being kidnapped and brain-washed.
However, a small group of ``Bohemians'' get together to create their own musical instruments and play new music to save the society.
The musical includes a Messiah figure, the social outcast Galileo Figaro, who joins the Bohemians, along with Scaramouche.
But when the Bohemians are captured and brain-washed, Galileo and Scaramouche flee for their lives.
The original London production premiered at the Dominion Theater in 2002. The show is currently still performing in London. The musical has attracted more than five million viewers in 15 different countries since its first performance.
The musical will present Queen's all-time hit numbers such as the one which gives its name to the show ``We Will Rock You,'' ``We Are the Champions,'' ``Bohemian Rhapsody'' and ``Somebody To Love.''
The show will be held at Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province from Feb. 2 to 24. For more information, call 1588-4558.
chungay@koreatimes.co.kr
