Sheffield gets ready to rock

Audiences in Sheffield will be rocking to the sounds of Queen later this year when We Will Rock You arrives in the city.

The hit Queen and Ben Elton Musical is coming to the Motorpoint Arena from 30th May to 2nd June as part of its first ever world arena tour.

Former Coronation Street star Kevin Kennedy and X Factor finalist and West End actress Brenda Edwards are to star in the tour, following their previous success in the roles.

Kevin, best known for his role as Curly Watts in Coronation Street, will reprise the role of Pop, a librarian who is stuck in his hippie past and is searching to find answers to the end of rock music.

Brenda who rose to fame in ITV1’s talent show The X Factor will again play the domineering role of Killer Queen, Head of Globalsoft, the corporation responsible for the banning of all instruments and musical originality.

With 24 of Queen’s biggest hits delivered in a show that boasts the scale and spectacle that marked the bands’ legendary live performances, this will be one of the most spectacular musicals to tour the world.

The production is directed by Ben Elton, with Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor as music supervisors and Arlene Phillips, who oversees the musical staging and choreography.

Writer Ben Elton has fashioned a hilarious futuristic comedy around Queen’s biggest hit songs delivered in a show that boasts the scale and spectacle that marked Queen’s live performances.

“This show is all about legend,” said Ben. “We take the legend of Queen and create our own fantastical story of young kids battling the might corporations who want to suppress their individuality and their love of music. They need a hero who can help them in their struggle, and we have two – the dreamer Galileo and the sassy rock chick Scaramouche. Guess who ends up winning?”

Brian May added: “The amazing bonus is that Ben’s script subtly works as a metaphor too. People definitely come out of the theatre feeling that in a strange way they now know us, Queen, and our struggle, our journey.”

Producer Phil McIntyre said they were looking forward to taking the musical on tour again. “We had standing ovations night after night around the UK last time and we can’t wait to see that happen again,” he added.

Tickets, priced £42.50, £39.50, £32.50, £29.50 & £22.50 (booking fee may apply), are now on sale. The are available in person are the Box Office, by phone on 0114 256 5656 or online at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk.

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