We Will Rock You: 10th Anniversary Tour

The We Will Rock You: 10th Anniversary Tour is world tour started in February 2013, by the We Will Rock You Musical celebrating the musical's tenth anniversary. Although the tour will technically take place between the musical's eleventh and twelfth anniversaries. The tour will play to audiences around the world while the record-breaking run at London's Dominion Theatre will continue.^[1][2]

Following the triumphant 2010 and 2011 UK theatre tours, the smash hit Queen and Ben Elton musical, We Will Rock You announces the show will embark on its first ever world arena tour. 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.^[3]

Unprecedented success in theatres around the world has paved the way for We Will Rock You to make the step into arenas, where the Rock Theatrical will be performed in front of thousands of rock fans every night. The world tour will see the show visit arenas in Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia and the UK and Ireland in 2013. Further dates in Japan, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia will be announced shortly.^[4] Due to the Leeds Arena not being completed on time, it will not be a playable venue by the time of the shows. All shows originally scheduled for Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena we moved to the dates of the original Leeds shows, which have been indefinitely postponed until the dates can be rescheduled.^[5]

On 7 March 2013 QueenOnline announced that there will also be a national tour of the United States, beginning in Baltimore in October and currently will visit Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston, Minneapolis, Thunder Bay, Miami, For Myers, Columbus, Houston, Detroit, Providence, Tampa, Charlotte, Des Moines and Los Angeles^[6][7]

Cancellations and rescheduled shows

Brian May

• 27 March 2013, Nottingham ("Bohemian Rhapsody")
• 16 October 2013, Baltimore ("Bohemian Rhapsody")

(On taking the show into arenas) "After our first 10 years in Rock Theatricality, this is the next giant step for WWRY – and the show will feature a brand new arena-size design – a big night out for all!"

— Brian May^[1]

(On the show itself) "This show is all about legend", 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?"

— Ben Elton^[4]

(About the script) "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."

— Brian May^[4]

(On touring the show again) "We are looking forward to taking this true Rock Theatrical out on the road again. We had standing ovations night after night around the UK last time and we can’t wait to see that happen again."

— Phil McIntyre (Producer)^[4]

The UK Tour has received a generally positive response:

"Elton has created a nightmarish vision of the future in which live music is banned, all instruments have been destroyed and the entire population lobotomised by the Globalsoft Corporation, capable of living on the iPlanet only through the internet. Elton uses every trick in the writer's book to contrive a link to a Queen classic. Some are so obvious you can see them coming with headlights on, but that is all part of the fun. The script is witty and inventive but to make it work one other element is needed – a cast capable of handling the power of Queen's music."

— Nottingham Post^[10]

"A great cast, fabulous singers, amazing dance routines, stunning sets, a dazzling light show and a magnificent live rock band. It's got it all. Then there's Ben Elton's superb script which, 10-years after its West End debut, has been tweaked with contemporary one-liners for this first ever arena tour."

— Sheffield Star^[11]

"But all of this is just a fun ride that leads to the most exhilarating finale that will outdo all that has come before. As the end nears, anticipation is palpable, the famed words of the most loved Queen song on everyone's lips. Superb lighting continues to dazzle, as the unbelievably talented band give their all, as the crescendo hits its peak, the fan favourite is performed, liberating the entire cast to come together to show their talent, each getting their chance to give all – Bohemian Rhapsody thunders through the arena."

— Newcastle Chronicle^[12]

However, in Manchester it received poor response from reviews:

"Well, certainly the classic songs of Freddie Mercury and co are faultless in what is, unfortunately, not an entirely seamless arena transfer of a show which has been a huge hit in the West End and has toured twice to Manchester's Palace Theatre to sold out audiences in recent years. Yet here, for the first of two nights at the arena, the place is far from full. That partly explains the lack of atmosphere in the cavernous setting – and the show itself has failed to move up a gear, save for some strobe lighting, to its more imposing stage. And for those of us in the floor seats it's a struggle to get a proper view – indeed I moved seats in the second half to save my cricked neck."

— Manchester Evening News^[13]

On opening in the US the musical was met with mixed reviews:

"There are 3 things you should know if you venture to see We Will Rock You at The Hippodrome, which I strongly suggest that you do, and quickly, as it's only in town until the 20th. 1) The future is very much like the present, only moreso. 2) Embrace the paradox of singing and dancing about not being able to make music. 3) We Will Rock You is not just for hard-core Queen fans, but for everyone who hums along when the radio plays Bicycle Race."

— Broadway World^[14]

"The show, heavily tricked out with eye-popping video, is meant to be satirical, but in too many ways it ends up being the very thing it tries to disparage — a sort of numbing Radio GaGa spectacle. This did not, however, prevent a multi-generational audience from swaying in their seats, their arms waving in the air."

— Chicago Sun-Times^[15]

"The music of We Will Rock You will definitely give you a rush, but the heavy tech and the dancing... not so much. The show runs from November 19th-24th at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis; the first National U.S. tour. When I went to see the show on opening night, November 19th, I was definitely excited, but more excited by the fact that I was going to see a show at the Orpheum for the very first time. I went in knowing almost nothing about rock, and left knowing that I would never want to go to a rock concert."

— Twin Cities Daily Planet^[16]

"We Will Rock You", the musical built around the music of the band Queen, is vapid and soulless. The show, which opened Tuesday in Minneapolis, has a capable cast of buff singer-actors, but even they cannot redeem what is a loud but ultimately lame effort. The major failing of "We Will Rock You" begins at conception. Queen's songs themselves are theatrical and easy to nod along to. But the story, crafted by Ben Elton, is thin and poorly written. Unlike jukebox musicals such as "Mamma Mia!", (music of Abba) or "Jersey Boys" (The Four Seasons), the book of "We Will Rock You" does not advance the music, and vice versa. Instead, it seems, the narrative is crafted simply to get to numbers such as "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Fat Bottomed Girls" and, of course, the sports anthem title track."

— Hispanic Business^[17]

• QueenOnline.com – Queen's official website
• WeWillRockYou.co.uk – We Will Rock You's official website