BT London Live: We Will Rock You in Hyde Park

The wayward weather conditions only heightened the anticipation of We Will Rock You in Hyde Park. Amongst Gourmet Burger stalls, Fish and Fat Chips, Cadbury House and a live performance from Roots Manuva; the audience around the main stage started to grow. The large screen showed judo and gymnastics, as umbrellas went up and down; eagerness for the supervening rock display was palpable.

Finally, an assortment of colourful corsets, leather, dog collars, and birds’ nests spilled out onto the stage. The best songs of Queen came pouring from their microphones by voices that projected and bounced around the arena in Hyde Park. The familiar songs filled the air, raising many arms, and inspiring lots of interesting renditions and dance moves across the audience.

The cast of We Will Rock You were energetic and springy, and the animated lighting display and futuristic presentations on screens behind them added to their vigorous performance. From the first chords of Fat Bottomed Girls to the moving rendition of We Are the Champions, and a final stirring performance of Bohemian Rhapsody, the Dominion Theatre cast excelled in the challenging outdoor space, and continued to be confronted with an expanding audience.

The famous musical utilises Queen’s best hits, as it exploits the idea of dystopia, and is now universally performed, bringing in audiences from all around the world. Amongst a plethora of awards, We Will Rock You still continues to entertain, and these “pop-up” performances, showcasing the best moments of this long-standing musical, are more than worth seeing.

It is nothing more than a celebration of Queen, and an excuse to tap feet and sing, which is valid in today’s overabundance of thoughtful, artistic, challenging theatre. It was half an hour of cheesy enjoyment, and if there was anything wrong, it was that it was not long enough.

Claire Mitchell

To check out other concerts at BT London Live visit the festival’s website here.