The sky danced with spray beyond the walls of the British School Jakarta (BSJ) World Theatre while the murmuring rain muffled every time a parent glided through the glass entrance. The waiting room of the theatre building was flocking with more parents, teachers, and students as the clock ticked closer to showtime. Stalls of temporary tattoos, cookies, photobooth, light bites, and popcorn were enlivened by a karaoke centre where students courageously gripped the microphone, singing along to tunes of legendary rock band, Queen.
We Will Rock You celebrates individuality, resilience, and the power of music.
The gloomy downpour went on relentlessly for hours, yet contagious smiles illustrated the sheer excitement of the seated audience within the Raffles Stage. Moments later, the lights went out; rows of glow sticks enriched the darkened theatre. Soon, Galileo rose from below, mirroring Freddie Mercury’s iconic stance. The huge LED Videotron in the back of the stage lit up to mark the opening of the highly-anticipated musical We Will Rock You.
The musical by Queen, written by Ben Elton, is an electrifying production brought by the energy, creativity, and dedication of BSJ’s students and members of the Art Department. We Will Rock You celebrates individuality, resilience, and the power of music. The story takes place in a dystopian future, where individuality and live music are banned. The all-powerful Globalsoft Corporation, led by the ruthless Killer Queen, controls society, forcing everyone to conform.
The Bohemians, however, believe in the power of rock and seek to revive real music. The rebels are convinced of a hero who will find the lost guitar of Queen, and with that, will nurture freedom and self-expression to the world once more. This message reminds the students - and anyone watching the musical - that everyone can be great individuals and are perfect as they are.
Krystal Waltho, the Creative Director and Producer of We Will Rock You, as well as BSJ’s Head of the Arts Department, explained this musical came to light when Music Director Stephen Tomlinson approached her regarding his experience with esteemed professionals, Noel Sullivan and James Bennet. “Instantly, I saw the aesthetic for it; we need a massive video screen, the lighting, the sound, the fog, and even the fireworks,” she gushed.
Preparations took months. It was evident that every cast and crew member had poured their heart into creating an unforgettable experience.
The Arts Department at BSJ delivers varied music, theatre, and dance lessons. “We follow a curriculum that allows us to work on performances within the classroom, and we try to integrate those as much as we can into actual live shows with students encompassing real-life experiences,” explained Waltho.
The students have grown as performers and the team members showcased remarkable collaboration discipline and self-expression.
Lead actor, BSJ Year 13 student Zayn Sattar, captivated the audience as Galileo, one of the two unlikely rebels who feel out of place in this controlled world. He had previously performed Queen songs a few years ago at school, thus, We Will Rock You was a testament to his growth as a performer in his final school year. “I grew up with performing - and I’ve always known this is something that I wanted to do for a long time,” he asserted.
Playing the quirky, rebellious, and full-of-energy Scaramouche for BSJ Year 10 student, Anissa Machin, was an incredible and inspiring experience. “Collaborating with the cast and crew has been a highlight as we all work together to create something special that brings these legendary songs to life in a new way,” she said.
The lead actress has come a long way with her onstage power. Machin acknowledged that the teachers’ immense support had brought her this far. “They gave us what we needed to balance the musical and school work. I'm really grateful for that,” she added.
The set
We Will Rock You follows Galileo and Scaramouche on their journeys to self-discovery and bring rock and roll back to life in an entertaining set jazzed up by an LED Videotron. Anggi is the brains responsible for the videotron’s seamless visual effects and motion graphics media animator showcase.
The BSJ Visual and Performing Arts Senior Technician designed and programmed dynamic visuals that brought the futuristic world of the story materialised. From crafting colourful animations and choreographing motion graphics to sinking visuals with high-energy performances, he intended to immerse the audience in the universe of We Will Rock You. Indeed, that came with an assurance the visuals amplified the story’s energy without dominating the stage. Achieving that balance required careful consideration and collaboration with the directors, designers, and performers, which Waltho concurred.
Waltho’s vision using a Videotron stemmed from sustainability. Props are not merely on the pricier side but are bespoke for a certain show and then disposed of once it’s over.
“This technology does everything. We can also playful as we wish,” she shared. Concerns whether the Videotron would work and even the fireworks sparking up were undoubtedly present. “But every time I look at the kids' faces and they're owning the stage, I can see their confidence and their love of performing. I knew nothing could go wrong.”
The script
Deep into the second act, as waves of laughter hushed away, Scaramouche and Galileo enraptured the theatre by transitioning to loud foot stomps. The audience of all ages joined into the leads’ queue, stomping and chanting to Queen’s We Will Rock You. Yet, this wasn’t the only time when the audience reacted positively to the plot’s script.
BSJ Arts Teacher, specialising in theatre and directed the musical, Jessica Yadav, loves the original script as it’s written. The dialogues, nevertheless, were delivered a tad more relatable to all ages, including jokes, slang, and popular names in the music industry.
“Changing lines isn’t really allowed with production. Adlibs here and there are possible. But, the students were the ones who would have the voice of the whole creative process,” she shared. “I love having the students give their input. We discussed lots of lines that they felt uncomfortable saying, for example.”
The sarcastically comical Buddy, portrayed by BSJ Year 12 student Zackery Machin, considered some of the dialogue to seem clunky in his head. “Most of the audience are under the age of 16. They might wonder what certain lines would mean. I did propose some updates to the dialogue but overall, I do genuinely enjoy the comedy,” he pointed out.
The vocals
The students sang live so courageously as two bands backstage serenaded every number. Lots of singers with various experience levels have challenged themselves to live up to Queen’s songs since the band’s prominence. The songs are categorised as difficult, meanwhile, the cast is still in their adolescence, a period when vocals are still developing.
Thomlinson shared that Tomoko Ogusu took charge of the students’ vocal strengths. She worked tirelessly to ensure the cast was ready. “She pulled two to three of her strong choir singers backstage to support the actors on stage,” he continued.
The costumes
Yadav can visualise the performances, and sometimes the costumes, as a director. She immediately envisioned Killer Queen’s costume. “But Gemma Brown could see the costumes, hair, and makeup much clearer. Her contributions, from her ideas and DIY practices to her personal archives, have been vital to this production,” she added.
Killer Queen’s actress, BSJ Year 12 Student, Amanda Haryono, donned a cape bedazzled by Brown’s own hands, along with the teacher’s necklace and corset. “She spent the whole weekend putting sequins in one by one. And every rehearsal, I will leave a trail of glitter everywhere,” gushed Haryono. The boys, on the flip of the coin, took pieces from their closets for theirs. As Sattar put it, “It’s a relic of a long time past.”
The lessons
Filled with Queen’s iconic hits, We Will Rock You is a high-energy celebration of music, rebellion, and the quest for freedom. Unity was a major role - everyone’s role, cast and crew, was significant.
The number one priority, enthused Waltho, is always the students. “Straight away from casting, we wanted to make sure they're comfortable with their roles. This is Queen but all I hear are Zayn, Zach, Annisa, Amanda, and the other cast,” she added.
Each student had their own takeaway from doing this performance. Sattar shared it’s to constantly bring the right energy. Being able to put forward positive energy to people around unexpectedly affects them. The Machin siblings, Anissa and Zackery, pointed out that simply taking action and patience are key.
Haryono saw a different light. “This musical allowed us actors and actresses to develop many new skills. One of my scenes was conversing on a video call. I was not only acting, but I had to time the way I speak with the video track along with the music,” she explained.
Silence filled the theatre. The spotlight shined on Galileo carrying a golden mic as he belted out Bohemian Rhapsody. Scaramouche, Buddy, Killer Queen, along with the rest of the ensemble oozed such emotion and connection to the song - “easy come, easy go, will you ever let me go?”
