By Katrina “Kat” Reynolds
WE WILL ROCK YOU presented by Memorial Hall through August 29th. I attended the Opening night performance.
Coming at you loud (but not as clear) this August, Memorial Hall presents We Will Rock You with Music and Lyrics by Queen and Story and Script by Ben Elton. This jukebox musical is set in a dystopian future where live music and individuality are banned – until some rogue warriors fight for their right to rock.
Director & Choreographer Leslie Goddard Baum leads a solid group of performers in this “lightly staged” production. To that end, choreography is not at its finest. The steps do not match the music and it is rare to see the ensemble dance in synch. However, Ms. Goddard’s use of the staging space is excellent. Music Direction by Steve Goers is unsurprisingly lovely, but some of his efforts in creating beautiful vocal pictures are lost due to poor sound balance between the band and singers. This is a particular shame given the level of talent in both live musicians and vocalists.
As stated earlier, this large ensemble of performing artists does not lack talent; there are, however, some stand-outs:
Mary Mills (as Scaramouche) may be petite in stature, but that girl can sing place down. She has a beautiful, trained, and controlled voice and needs to grace more stages. With his flawless hair and equally flawless dialect, Rory Sheridan crushes the role of Kash. (And now is the time to mention Costume Designer Dean W. Walz for his gorgeous concepts.) Finally, another small in stature human with a big voice is Heather Hale as Oz. While known for her volume, Ms. Hale is at her absolutely peak when she is allowed to send the shivers down our spines in quieter moments.
As a huge fan of Queen and Freddie Mercury in particular, I had my reservations about We Will Rock You. While the show itself is neither ground-breaking nor otherwise earth-shattering, it’s a bit of good fun with some great music and a high dose of nostalgia. I can only imagine how fun it would be to perform. With only one weekend left of its run, it’s time to get those tickets and enjoy an evening of Queen before it’s too late.
Click here for more information about the production.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 