We Will Rock You is a show that has rocked stages all over the world. Featuring hit songs from the band Queen, it is the longest-running musical the Dominion Theatre in London has ever housed…and now it is headed to Basingstoke!
We Will Rock You is the next musical that Basingstoke Amateur Theatrical Society (BATS) are sinking their teeth into. Running from the 12th to the 16th of May, there is still time to get the show ready, but in true BATS style, it already seems that this is going to be another brilliant production.
I was lucky to have been invited into the rehearsal room to get a peek at the team getting the show ready, and I had great fun watching the work-in-progress! I always find rehearsals feel like a kind of magic; people are half in costumes, half in active wear. On stage, people are singing their hearts out whilst at the side, others are practising dance routines, running lines, or, arguably, most importantly – cheering on their fellow cast mates! Getting to join BATS behind the scenes of their show as they did their first full run-through felt like a real privilege, one I was honoured to have been asked to watch.
With the rise of AI and more time being spent online by the day, it feels ironic that a show that was written to feel somewhat dystopian now feels scarily relevant. With big characters,big hits and big energy for the whole show, this is far from a serious musical. We Will Rock You is a Musical with a capital M. Arguably, some musicals can feel subtle in their approach…this is not one of them. This show is as far from subtle as you can get – but it works. We Will Rock You is not a show you can go into half-heartedly, and that is something team BATS have clearly understood. The show is hilarious and silly, but that’s not stopping BATS from closely fine-tuning every detail to bring Basingstoke a show they can be proud of.
The vocals are already strong enough to fill a church hall, there is electric excitement and energy that is palpable from everyone working together on the show, and every detail from the choreography to the staging is being meticulously perfected. With all this already, and with the company still in the rehearsal stages, one can expect a fantastic finished show when BATS get to the theatre itself.
With a few weeks still until the curtain comes up, I’m intrigued as to how much fine-tuning is left, as from what I saw, the team are pretty much show-ready! I, for one, can’t wait to see the finished show with the finer details of costume, lighting and set bringing everything all together. The teaser of the show from rehearsals has left me wanting more, which is the best feeling to have!
BATS’ admirable passion and hard work are set to result in what is a weird yet wonderful musical. We Will Rock You may be silly and fun, but it’s a show full of heart and big hits everyone knows and loves. The one thing guaranteed is that BATS are ready to put on another great show, right here in Basingstoke. I stand by the fact that I think supporting local theatre is as important, if not more so, than supporting the major West End shows. So, with We Will Rock You opening in just under 10 days, what a great way to escape the world for a night, and you may even leave the theatre tapping your feet and bopping your head.
BATS’ We Will Rock You will run at Basingstoke’s Haymarket Theatre from the 12th to the 16th May. You can buy tickets here: https://www.anvilarts.org.uk/events/bats-we-will-rock-you
You can find out more about BATS here: https://www.bats.net/
One Show at a Time 