All we need is (some) Radio Gaga and that's what we're getting tomorrow night as Kevin Oliver and troupe bring a Queen tribute to town
All we need is (some) Radio Gaga and that's what we're getting tomorrow night as Kevin Oliver and troupe bring a Queen tribute to town
If it wasn't for Freddie Mercury, we wouldn't have had 'the Bohemian Rhapsody'. If it wasn't for him, musicals and drama might have never come to represent the slightly deviant that he is often portrayed to be. With a wild passion for his men and music, he created history and is often remembered as one of the musical greats we've seen this century. Come Wednesday and Freddie'll be back on stage in a musical by Kevin Oliver and troupe. 'We will rock you' is now in the city and even though it's been all across the globe, it will always have several firsts.
Directed and choreographed by Kevin Oliver, a Bangalore director with plays like Jesus Christ Super Star, Cats, The Graduate, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Circle of Life, Veronicas Room, What the Butler Saw, The Witness and The Diary of Ann Frank to his credit.
Kevin has created an abridged version of the musical for the audience in Bangalore as he isn't too sure the city's OK with longer shows. He staged the original version in Dubai, and it was a big hit. "I want to see how Bangalore handles it. I'm an old Bangalorean and I will come back depending on the response," he says.
We caught up with Kevin and got some inside info on the musical.
What does the concert have in store for avid rock lovers?
Rock U is a condensed version of the original, which was 2 hours 45 minutes. I had to censor the adult clips as this is being staged by 14 to 18-year olds. The characters are all Dubai based, from the Dubai Modern High School. I am the institutions' group cultural coordinator. We had about 100 kids who auditioned for the cast.
We brought it down to 35 who had to not only sing but act and dance. This concert runs for one hour 15 minutes, without an intermission. The musical features several Queen Hits but is based in the future, the year 2300 to be precise. The world is called Planet Mall then and is ruled by a woman called The Killer Queen. No one is allowed to be original, especially musicians. A huge company called Global Soft composes computer music and people are forced to download and listen to nothing else. Everyone looks the same, talks the same way and moves in the same way too.
There is no room for originality. Into this world comes a rebel called Galileo, who breaks all the rules and with the help of the underground fellow rebels called the Bohemians, finds a way to bring back the old life and get rid of the Killer Queens influence.
What about the costumes?
We have very wicked costumes. I spent a lot of time at the Splash warehouse picking up the costumes.
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What's the Queen play list?
We are doing Radio Gaga; Somebody to Love; Another One Bites the Dust; We will Rock You and an encore of Bohemian Rhapsody. We will have two huge audio-visual screens with mini videos edited and put together by the students. It's a new approach to theatre. I've seen some local shows and we have tried to go one step ahead of them.
Who's your biggest rock icon?
I don't really have a rock icon as I grew up loving pop. I loved the musicals and saw 'We are the Champions,' once. That left me huge Queen Fan.
Your biggest musical moment?
The Cats directed by Alyque Padamsee and I was a lot of fun. It was my highest moment in theatre. We got a standing ovation for it. I was younger and more impressionable then.
Your take on Indian rock music?
There's a resurge after Farhan Akhtar's Rock On. They have brought back a whole new wave of Indian rock. There's a big market for this genre of music.
What: ROCK U, the musical
When: December 30, 2009,
8 pm onwards
Where: Chowdiah Memorial Hall
Call: 2210 5511
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