'We Will Rock You', a celebration of rebellion

Ary Hermawan ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 03/29/2008 11:13 AM  |  Lifestyle

The Killer Queen The band Queen is a master of melodrama in the history of rock.

Queen's music and lyrics are witty, comical and undeniably perfect for a musical; British playwright Ben Elton has successfully transformed Queen's songs into a mind-boggling rock theater experience.

Elton convinced the band's founding members, Brian May and Roger Taylor, to use their songs for a musical he created titled We Will Rock You -- a novel way of experiencing the legendary group's hits.

The musical has been staged in London, Toronto, Spain, Germany, Las Vegas, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It has played to as many as six million people since its debut in 2002.

A number of artists, including Mark Fisher, who designed sets for Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, and choreographer Arlene Phillips, who choreographed many famous West End productions, including Starlight Express, Grease, Saturday Night Fever and the recent West End triumph The Sound of Music, established the musical as a visually stunning and enjoyable spectacle.

Aside from the big names, the appeal of the musical is absolutely its lead cast, which includes MiG Ayesa, as "Galileo Figaro", and New Zealand singer Annie Crummer as "Killer Queen".

MiG, one of the three finalists in a reality TV show that searched for a replacement vocalist for Australian band INXS, called Rockstar:INXS, is no newbie in the theater world.

As well as playing Galileo, he has also played Angel in Rent and was a featured artist in the UK Tour of Thriller:Live*. In Australia he played in Grease, Cinderalla, Aladdin and West Side Story.

For MiG, playing the hero of Queen's songs is his childhood dream.

"I think I was about five-years-old when I first heard *Bohemian Rhapsody'. I think I was five because I remember thinking that these guys were nuts* I also thought it was brilliant.

"I loved the harmonies at the beginning, the movement to the ballad part ... I would act out the operetta and then jump around the room with the rock section. This song was like a musical all to itself, and I used to pretend I was the hero of the story (careful for what you wish for)," he told The Jakarta Post in an email interview.

Like many other people, MiG is a big fan of Queen, whose music he describes as "brash, opulent, irreverent, outrageous, outlandish, over-the-top, melodramatic, original, unique, profound, hysterical, balls-to-the-wall, very naughty, genius and brilliant".

He says that with Freddy Mercury as Queen's front man, playing Galileo is no easy feat.

"Vocally, it is the most demanding role I've ever had. Physically, he is also a nightmare* I've never had so many bruises and scratches and swollen joints from playing a character.

"However, whenever I get in the 'zone' and fully immerse myself in the role, I truly feel as though I am *Galileo' and so playing him comes very naturally. along with the bruises, the scratches and swollen joints," he said.

Despite all the pains, he said he loved Galileo."I love Galileo. I can't wait to be in his skin again. He's troubled and misguided at times, but his heart is always in the right place.

"He can be a bit of an idiot at times (he's not the sharpest tool in the shed*), and he can be as stubborn as a mule but what I admire about him is that he is an idealist and he never compromises himself. He refuses to be anything other than who he is, and it is this courage that brings about his eventual victory," he said.

Annie Crummer released her first single at the age of 16. She has won numerous musical awards and toured with Sir Paul McCartney, K.D. Lang, Ray Charles, Sting and Michael Jackson. She scored the role as "Killer Queen" in 2003.

"I've had zero training (in theater) but luckily my character requires me to *over act' and we're all good at that, right? My Killer Queen is a mix of Tina Turner, Queen Latifah, Shirley Bassey and my gay male friends," she told the Post.

MiG described the musical as "a celebration of rebellion".

"It's a bill of rights to all the freaks in the world to be loud and proud ... and not conform to what you say I should be* Say 'I am, and I'm proud, so there*'," he said.

"It's a chance to just bathe yourself in the music of Queen and let your hair down as well as being entertained for the entire three hours of the show. This isn't a musical, it's an earthquake," he added.

Performing in Southeast Asia is a delight for both Annie and MiG. Annie believes the audience will like it because "it's Queen*" and she wants to show them how "music has changed".

MiG has a more personal reason: "I am Southeast Asian* I was born in Manila, the Philippines, and I moved to Australia when I was two. This part of the world is my home, and I am so proud to bring this show here.

"It's about time it has come. Although I live in New York now, being able to perform in Southeast Asia is like coming home ... but look what I brought with me*" he said.

WE WILL ROCK YOU will be staged from March 28 to April 27, 2008, at the Esplanade Theater in Singapore. For general enquiries: Lunchbox Theatrical Production, 583 Orchard Road *16-01 Forum Singapore 238884. Telp: 65-6735-5718/65-6735-2825

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