Review: The We Will Rock You Experience at Venue 360
The We Will Rock You Experience at Venue 360
Friday, February 21, 2025
A noble rock crusade—with room for improvement
On a quiet industrial street of Burswood, a secret rock and roll party rages on every Friday night. Each lucky rockstar inductee pledges upon arrival to “have a real good time,” as they settle in around bar tables and lounge chairs with a drink in hand and a smile on their face. Audience participation is encouraged, whether that is rocking out with an air guitar, singing along to the words on screen, or dancing onstage with the rebels after the show—you had better be in the mood to boogie.
What is this enthusiastic group of Rebels attempting on our quiet Perth streets? It is The We Will Rock You Experience. Brainchild of Platinum Entertainment, who delivered the outstanding We Will Rock You production at the Regal in 2023, they have taken the brave step of establishing a recurring performance every Friday night at Venue 360, with an all West Australian cast.
Ben Elton’s witty script, combined with a collection of Queen’s greatest hits, makes We Will Rock You a bold, rebellious musical that every music enthusiast should see at least once—if not more. First written over two decades ago, it took aim at the rise of boy bands and auto-tuned pop music of the ’90s. In 2025, with the growing influence of AI-generated music and social media influencers, the show’s critique of musical conformity feels more timely than ever.
The idealistic dreamer, Galileo, and sharp-tongued heroine, Scaramouche, are played by husband-and-wife duo Nicholas and Kelsey Cruse, with impeccable comedic timing and authentic chemistry—one can really see how much fun they are having onstage. Also excellent are Rebel leaders Brit and Oz, played by Mikey Keith and Melissa Gall, and bad guy Khashoggi by Clay Darius. Unfortunately, the team lacks a real Killer Queen of attitude and sass to convince us the rebels have anything to fear. Maddy Batten needs to build her confidence, sharpen her movements, and develop some hostility to fulfil what that role demands. As the song tells us, a Killer Queen should blow your mind.
Platinum Entertainment’s decision to incorporate a revolving stage and sophisticated lighting design proves to be a smart one, enhancing the show with impressive visual effects. The rotating stage stands out during the Hammer to Fall duet between Galileo and Scaramouche. The challenge of staging this scene, where the characters argue yet remain facing the audience, is skilfully addressed by rotating them in opposite directions, offering a dynamic portrayal of their journey towards the Hard Rock Cafe.
Providing sustainable theatre work to WA performers is a noble quest, and any lover of music should give them all support. However, the preview night was plagued with technical issues, from faulty screens to malfunctioning props, performers tripping over, and backing tracks far too loud for the vocals. One hopes these will be resolved quickly, before the hammer can fall.
Long live rock and roll, and the West Australian theatre industry.
MELISSA MANN
