We Will Rock You joins a wealth of other jukebox musicals in the capital – such as Million Dollar Quartet and Mamma Mia! – in providing a fantastic stage show as well as live renditions of some classic songs. But whereas some musicals focus on the real life story of the band in question (such as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in Jersey Boys) We Will Rock You focuses on a brand new story from the pen of Ben Elton set hundreds of years in the future.

This imaginative setting allows audiences to go on a dizzying adventure at the Dominion Theatre Box Office and whilst they can enjoy songs like Another One Bites the Dust, Bohemian Rhapsody and Radio Ga Ga, among others, they are also transported to the future Earth known as Planet Mall. In this world globalisation is complete and the planet is ruled by the tyrannical Globalsoft Corporation and at the top of its chain of command is the evil Killer Queen. With freedom of expression and music strictly outlawed it’s up to a team of freedom fighters known as the Bohemians to return to the world to the time of the Rhapsody.

So with a trip to the Dominion Theatre audiences can continue to experience the work of Queen right on stage.

The story sees Billy, an eleven year old boy, choosing ballet over boxing while living with his father and brother during the UK miners’ strike (1984 to 1985) in County Durham, UK. Motherless Billy tries to keep his dance lessons a secret while his family strike and come in to contact with riot police on a daily basis. However, when the secret is revealed that Billy has been spending his boxing money on dance lessons, Billy’s father is enraged and quickly puts a stop to the activities.

Thankfully, Billy has his dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson, who offers Billy free private lessons in order to improve his obvious skills. She then goes on to encourage Billy to audition for a place at the Royal Ballet School in London. However, Billy’s father and brother quickly see to it that Billy is shamed in to not attending his audition, leaving Billy angry and unable to face ballet for nearly a year.

An emotional night for Billy’s father, and an impromptu ballet performance by Billy, see the father finally realize his son’s potential as a dancer. The miners and his father do all they can to help young Billy achieve his dream of attending the expensive Royal Ballet School, so that Billy will not have to work in the dying industry of mining in the future. This decision if frowned upon by Billy’s brother who has difficulty understanding both his brother’s actions and his father’s decisions. However, Billy’s brother will eventually be the key to his dancing future, upon discovery of the discarded acceptance letter from the Royal Ballet School.

Billy Elliot the Musical is a heart-warming tale of triumph over adversity, having hope for the future and daring to dream. It is a musical that will stand the test of time and have much success for years to come, across the world.

The premise of this retro musical actually is set in the future (approximately in the year 2300). By this time, a wave of pessimism and gloom has overcome the Earth (which is now called Planet Mall) and is presided over by a global corporation. Young people lead bland lives and must conform to the same dress code and do the same, monotonous things every day. They are trained to have one opinion and know nothing about music and musical instruments. They are known as the Ga Ga Kids.

Among these boring and brainwashed kids is one called Galileo, the one they call the ‘Dreamer’. He later meets the heroine of the play, another rebel who is a goth girl named Scaramouche. Together, the nonconforming couple face the wrath of Planet Mall’s ruler, Killer Queen, who has them arrested for civil disobedience. This femme fatale is aware of a prophecy that one day a ‘leading star’ would bring freedom and music to Planet Mall’s mindless masses. Galileo and Scaramouche later unite with underground Bohemian rebels who know the secrets to making musical instruments that will play music. Even though the Bohemians are skeptical at first, they hear Galileo singing the Bohemian Rhapsody and are convinced that he is music’s messiah.

In their quest for music and trying to outrun Killer Queen, these rocking rogues meet a old man who confirms the prophecy that was inscribed by three members of a musical group called Queen from over three hundred years ago who were sentenced to death. Then, Galileo and friends find out that the ‘shining star’ of the prediction was a statue of Freddie Mecury, which pointed to the ruins of Wembley Stadium (called the ‘place of the true rock’ in the prophecy). Galileo starts singing ‘We Will Rock You’ and an electric guitar materializes. The gang hacks into Killer Queen’s corporate computer and plays the anthem around the world and free the Ga Ga Kids from the leashes of their evil empress with a rendition of ‘We are the Champions’.

The musical is peppered throughout with many of Queen’s top hits during appropriate scenes, with an encoure of the Bohemian Rhapsody. Even though the show originally received poor reviews from the critics, it quickly become an international success. It represents a reminder that the music still lives long after the lights have faded.

In the beginning of act two Roxy Hart is enjoying her rising star of fame and fortune. In order to prolong her celebrity she concocts a story about being pregnant; a woman in jail, pregnant, is sure to keep the newspapers in headlines. Meanwhile, Bobby Flynn cheats and double-crosses Velma. Velma tells Bobby, in confidence, all of the things she is planning to do in her performance to attain an acquittal. Bobby passes this information on to Roxy Hart, and Roxy uses these tricks in her own defense. Roxy is acquitted. However, at the same time the newspapers hear about another sensational murder and Roxy?s fame is over.

Stomp the musical is a must see for any person who is intrigued by sounds that different objects make. These objects mainly consist of things that you can find inside your house. The show teaches that anything can be used as an instrument if someone has creativity and desire. For this reason, Stomp the musical is more than just a play, it is an insight into the workings of the creative mind.

Stomp the musical uses garbage cans and garbage can lids to produce some high quality, entertainin music. When the performers dance around the stage while banging garbage can lids, the viewer is taken back to a childlike state. All the pressures of day to day life disappear and the audience is captivated in the wonderment of such an exciting story.

The most amazing thing about Stomp the musical is how quickly the time passes. The show usually runs about an hour and a half, but it feels like you are watching for only thirty minutes. The musical is extremely entertaining and your mind is constantly fascinated by all the different objects they use for instruments. This ability to captivate an audiences attention is what has made the show such a success.

The performers are some of the most talented individuals you will ever encounter. They have an uncanny ability to make beautiful sounds out of any object that they can find. Using random sticks, brooms, etc., they are sure to create a rhythmic melody with ease. Many fans of the show are simply amazed at the sounds that can come from these ordinary home appliances. When you go home that night, you will not look at a broom or trash can the same way. Instead, your heart and mind will be transformed as you see things in a new light. Stomp the musical will be the catalyst for this switch as your heart opens up to the creativity of music and how it exists all around us.

What this musical tells you, is the story from multiple different characters. One of the top characters is a paroled convict, Jean Valjean. He tries to be an honest man who is searching for work and a new life. A police officer, Javert, begins to make Jean his goal in life to find and capture. Fantine, a single mother, is forced into doing the unthinkable, prostituting, just to support her daughter Cosette. Marius is a French student who ends up falling in love with Valjean’s daughter Cosette.

As you can see, there are multiple main characters in the musical and the drama is also very intense. When this musical first opened back in 1980, the switch to the English version was in the works. Some feel like the English version is not completely the same, but it has been adapted and is now produced for its English speaking fans. It became a big hit from the beginning, which is why it’s still the third longest Broadway show in history.

This musical, with all the ups and downs throughout the production, is a must see for musical lovers. Les Mis is a beautiful rendition of life and the true joy that can come from living it. Whether you watch the original French version or the translated English one, you will be blown away. I would put this musical at the top of my list with Cats and Rent.

In the first act, you will get up to speed with the prison setting where you will first meet Valjean. After his release from parole, you will walk through the daily life of Valjean and his yellow ticket which makes it hard to start fresh. After several hardships, Valjean has a new identity and is starting new until more problems land him back in prison. He then promises to look after Cosette and a new journey begins. After you see Cosette’s point of view and here her story, you will fall in love with all the characters and continue to make this musical, one of the best musicals of all time.

It is often seen as a mood thing in that people tend to choose to listen to a particular piece of music depending on what mood they are in at that time. It can be enjoyed in a variety of ways which includes live, recorded, downloaded and played. It can be experienced at home, on the move, at work, in public, and increasingly, online.

Music can be enjoyed as a solo pleasure or with family and friends, and encompasses all age groups, backgrounds and lifestyles. This is an art form which can be said to be completely inclusive. There are so many types of music which cater to all types of taste. Human beings are individuals with their own personal likes and dislikes and music can engender some very strong feelings regarding what is good and what is bad. This is an entirely subjective state and so there are no defined parameters as to what constitutes good or bad music.

One person enjoys 16th century baroque, another likes progressive rock, another enjoys country and western and so on. Music is such a broad church with room for all types, with the common aim of providing enjoyment, inspiration and meaning to all of us.