WWRY Context

Social/Political Context

Synopsis of WWRY

Taking place in the distant future. Earth's name has been changed to Planet Mall. Everyone wears the same clothes, thinks the same thoughts and goes about in a brain-dead haze, ruled over by the almightty Killer Queen. Musical instruments and composers are forbidden, and rock music is all but unknown. However, a small group of "Bohemians" struggles to restore the free exchange of thought, fashion, and (most of all) live music. With the help of Pop, an ancient hippie librarian, two Bohemians Brit and Meat, Galileo and Scaramouche, find Rock's Holy Grail, Brian May's guitar buried in the remains of Wembley Stadium.

Played for laughs, there is very little real story to We Will Rock You. While the musical is a spoof of the classic quest tale with some moments of clever dialogue, it exists predominately as a framework allowing a vocally talented cast to perform covers of Queen's greatest hits. Songs included in the production may vary from theatre to theatre, but generally include favorites such as "Another One Bites the Dust," "Hammer to Fall," "A Kind of Magic," and more.

Ben Elton

The writer and director of the show.  Ben Elton is an English comedian, author, playwright, actor and director. His musical credits include collaborating with Andrew Lloyd Webber on The Beautiful Game in 2000, writing the book and lyrics (Lloyd Webber wrote the music). The Beautiful Game won the London Critics Circle Award for best new musical. Elton went on to write a number of compilation shows featuring popular songs taken from the back catalogues of pop/rock artists. The first of these was the musical We Will Rock You. Despite unfavourable early critical reaction, this was successful in London and won the 2003 Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best New Musical. It has since opened in the US, Australia, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, and The Netherlands. Elton also directed the 10th Anniversary Arena tour, in 2013. Elton most recently worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the sequel to his 1986 blockbuster The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies.

Thoughts and Ideas

The show itself reflects the decline of music and the uproar of political dominance. This idea that controlling government intend for us all to be the same and think the same and do the same. Much like the GaGa kids. The objective is to retain the idea of music as a form of rebellion, the defintion of bohemian is to be different, and by discovering music the bohemians hope to fight back against the opposing government (globalsoft).

The connection between music and politics, particularly political expression in music, has been seen in many cultures. Although music influences political movements and rituals, it is not clear how or even if, general audiences relate music on a political level. Time has shown how music can be used in anti-establishment or protest themes, including anti-war songs, although pro-establishment ideas are also used, for example in national anthems, patriotic songs, and political campaigns. Which is why, almost ironically. Members of Globalsoft partake in performing songs in the show to symbolize and express their dominance over Planet Mall.

(An Example of songs being used for protest. John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed in bed during their honeymoon. when asked by a reporter what he was trying to achieve by staying in bed, Lennon answered spontaneously "All we are saying is give peace a chance"; Lennon liked the phrase and set it to music for the song. It later became an anthem of the American anti-war movement at that time)

The idea that the Bohemians don't physically engage Globalsoft is also key to recognise, It's almost as if Elton wishes to convey that despite them being part of a rebellion, the Bohemians are not interested in bloodshed but instead they want to rediscover music and achieve their 'Rhapsody' In lieu of being part of a dictatorship.