‘We Will Rock You’ anniversary tour to include Odyssey dates

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.

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, Holland, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Turkey, Bulgaria and the UK and Ireland in 2013. Further dates in Japan, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia will be announced shortly.

The multi-million pound production will be heading to the Nottingham Trent Arena for it’s first stop in the UK on March 27, 2013 and on to Dublin on April 4, before rocking around Europe and returning to the UK in May and June for dates at the Sheffield Motor Point Arena, the newly developed Leeds Arena, the Belfast Odyssey and the Newcastle Metro Arena. UK and Dublin tickets go on sale in Autumn 2012.

On announcing the Arena tour, Queen’s Brian May said: “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.”

The last WWRY UK tour visited six cities across 13 months. The tour sold over half a million tickets, setting and smashing box office records and was crowned the UK’s favourite show at the prestigious Olivier awards. The London production of the show has just celebrated its 10th birthday and it is the longest running musical ever staged at the West End’s Dominion Theatre, booking until October 2012. The show has thrilled over seven million people in the UK.

The production is directed by Ben Elton, with Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor as music supervisors, Arlene Phillips oversees the musical staging and choreography.

Writer Ben Elton has fashioned a hilarious futuristic comedy around more than 24 of Queen’s biggest hit songs delivered in a show that boasts the scale and spectacle that marked Queen’s live performances.

“This show is all about legend,” says Ben Elton. “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?”

Brian May added: “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.”

Producer Phil McIntyre said : “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.”

Tickets are now on for the O2 dates (Thursday, April 4; Friday, April 5; Saturday, April 6) and the Odyssey (Wednesday, June 12; Thursday, June 13; Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15) from ticketmaster outlets. More details on www.ticketmaster.ie and www.wewillrockyou.co.uk/tour