For 2022, we kind of set ourselves a little loose goal of making more time for shows and performances – whether that be live music or stage shows. And luckily for us, there’s a booming arts scene in Teesside, with the likes of Stockton Calling making a return, venues reopening after lockdown, and theatres welcoming audiences again. One of those is the fantastic Stockton Globe!
If you haven’t had the chance to visit the Globe yet, then listen up. This Grade II listed art deco building closed its doors in 1997. After once showcasing the likes of The Beatles, Tina Turner and Sir Cliff Richard, it stood empty for nearly 25 years. But after an incredible refurb, its doors are open once again and the theatre is ready to welcome guests once again.
And at the moment, you can catch the sensational Queen jukebox musical, We Will Rock You, on its stage. Have a read of my review and stick around to the end to find out what else is coming up at the Stockton Globe this year.
We Will Rock You at Stockton Globe
Let’s kick things off with Stockton Globe as a venue. It’s had an amazing refurb that’s given the place a whole new lease of life whilst maintaining its art deco charm. It seriously looks like a Wes Anderson film! From the colours to the architecture, even to the light fittings, they’ve managed to capture the 1920s in a contemporary way. It truly is a gorgeous space! Something I also love, as a tall gal, is the amount of leg room. There’s nothing worse than being squished into a row of seats and I’ve never felt that way at the Globe. It’s comfortable and relaxing.
Now on to the show itself… what a performance! I’ve seen We Will Rock You once before and I took my auntie along, who is quite the Queen connoisseur, so the pair of us had high hopes. And we definitely weren’t disappointed! Right from the get-go, we were sucked into the futuristic world of the iPlanet, Globalsoft and the Bohemians. We laughed, clapped and sang (quietly, of course) all the way through.
“With 24 of Queenās biggest hits and Ben Eltonās hilarious futuristic comedy writing combined, comes a show that boasts the scale and spectacle that marked the bandās legendary live performances. This global phenomenon will continue to be one of the most spectacular musicals to tour the United Kingdom & Ireland.
We Will Rock You tells the story of a globalized future without musical instruments. A handful of rock rebels, the Bohemians, fight against the all-powerful Globalsoft company and its boss, the Killer Queen; they fight for freedom, individuality and the rebirth of the age of rock. Scaramouche and Galileo, two young outsiders, cannot come to terms with the bleak conformist reality. They join the Bohemians and embark on the search to find the unlimited power of freedom, love and rock!“
While the musical is based on Queen’s biggest hits, you truly don’t need to be a huge fan to “get” this show. The songs are integrated in a way that makes complete sense to the story, following the rebels and Bohemians as they fight to bring real music back to the world. But if you are a Queen fan, you’ll be toe-tapping along the whole time, I can guarantee it!
The cast for the We Will Rock You UK Tour includes Ian Macintosh as Galileo, Elena Skye as Scaramouche, Jenny O’Leary as Killer Queen, and Adam Strong as Khashoggi. Every single one of these four sounded brilliant and totally sang their hearts out, but I’ve got to give a special mention to Jenny O’Leary. Wow wow wow, was she incredible! Her voice was a total belter and completely commanded the stage. She made a superb Killer Queen!
I’ve also got to give props to David Michael Johnson as Brit and Martina Ciabatti Mennell as Meat. They were two of my favourites and I loved their chemistry. Martina was especially punchy and charismatic, and I thought David’s voice was perfect for Brit. And of course, everyone was backed up by a truly fabulous ensemble. Not a harmony was missed and I almost wanted to jump on stage and dance with them all myself!
You absolutely can’t miss this show while it’s in town. We Will Rock You is on at Stockton Globe until Saturday 11th June, so make sure you purchase tickets while you still can.
What else can I see at Stockton Globe?
There’s so much coming up at Stockton Globe in 2022 – We Will Rock You is just the tip of the iceberg! There’s some major names in comedy, unmissable entertainment and massive music starts. You can take a look at the full list here, but here’s just a few that tickle my fancy:
- Adam Ant ANTICS – Tuesday 21st June
- Al Murray’s Gig For Victory – Saturday 3rd September
- The Ru Paul’s Drag Race Season 3 Tour – Saturday 15th October
- Derren Brown: Showman – Tuesday 18th-Saturday 22nd October
- Jurassic Live – Wednesday 26th-Thursday 27th October
- The Rock Orchestra By Candlelight – Friday 4th November
- Fontaines D.C. – Tuesday 15th November
I could honestly go on and on about all the exciting things that are coming up at this venue, and there truly is something for everyone. No matter if you’re looking for something to entertain kids or you want to take yourself on a night out to the theatre, there’s a show for you. Make sure you check out the full list!
So hands up, who’s going to see We Will Rock You? If you haven’t got your tickets yet, make sure you grab them before they sell out. There’s both matinee and evening performances, so take your pick! I hope you really enjoy yourselves and I’d love it if you tell me what you think of the show.
I’d also love it if you told me your favourite Queen song in the comments!
This blog post was written in exchange for tickets to see We Will Rock You at Stockton Globe. All opinions are my own.