We Will Rock You Review, May 2026 - One Show at a Time

The audience is in, the curtain is up, and Basingstoke Amateur Theatrical Society (BATS) are back on stage. BATS are very much the champions once again as they have another terrific show under their belt, this time bringing the hit musical We Will Rock You to Basingstoke’s Haymarket, running from 12th-16th May.

I previously saw the rehearsal of this show before the company reached the theatre.

Following the rehearsal, I was excited to see how We Will Rock You would be, with everything brought together, including the finer details of the set and costumes, and I was not disappointed. BATS We Will Rock You is a splendidly fun explosion of colour and sound. With slick choreography, courtesy of Jenny Sawyer and musical direction from Simon Eastwood, resulting in gorgeous harmonies, and a dedicated company that maintains full energy from start to finish, We Will Rock You is another terrific show from BATS. Yes, the show is kooky and very much over-the-top, but that’s why it works and is so enjoyable.

The two leads are fantastically cast. Dale Barrell as Galileio and Grace Trinder as Scaramouche have superb stage presence, and with their strong vocals that really do the music of Queen justice, the pair command attention brilliantly. The chemistry the two have feels genuine, and the way they bounce off each other naturally aids in bringing their characters to life that much more. With Barrell’s first song being ‘I Want To Break Free’, he quickly shows audiences what a powerful voice he has from the word go. Similarly, Trinder’s performance of ‘Somebody To Love’ really demonstrates what a skilled voice she has. Be it in the tender ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ or the feisty ‘Hammer To Fall’, the pair’s vocals, like their on-stage chemistry, blend well together.

Gaz Cottier and Chloe Ballard as Brit and Oz are also excellently matched, with an infectious energy that is joyous to watch and makes the pair quick to love when they’re on stage. Ballard’s rendition of ‘Only The Good Die Young’ is a particularly special and poignant scene, where you could have heard a pin drop save for Ballard’s crystal clear vocals. 

Whilst Queen is the soundtrack to this show, what I think makes the BATS company performances work so well is that no one is trying to be Freddie Mercury or his bandmates. The cast is performing the iconic hits, yes, but also making the songs their own. And they do so marvellously. 

Whilst the above-mentioned performers are the leads, the whole company are stars in their own right, and each and every person deserves praise. Sally Manning and Ian Moseley are both so very good at being bad. They clearly understand and easily demonstrate that everyone loves a good villain. The rest of the company is comprised of Richard Bond, Victoria Southgate, Sophie Collins, Sabrina Hinchcliffe, Jade Hollingshead, Emily Hudson, Jade Williams, Stuart Baker, Jack Baldwin, Clara Cosh-Escott, Hiro Fam, Robert Lea, Joanna Watts and James Young. Additional vocalists are April Frost-Evans, Joanna Feasey, Holly Reedman, David Allard and Jonathan Warriss-Simmons.

From the moment the curtain rises until the moment it falls at the end, this show is full on, yet everyone takes it in their stride. The passion each person pours into their performances is palpable and brings the show alive. The hard work from every member of the company has definitely paid off, and that goes for everyone who has worked determinedly both on and off stage. The whole BATS company are a fantastic team of people who are working tirelessly to put on a show in their own time, alongside daily life, and shows like We Will Rock You show that their hard work is worth it. The futuristic setting of the show, combined with the mammoth music that is Queen, makes this far from an easy show to put on, but BATS took the challenge and ran with it very well. Every show BATS creates is a labour of love, and We Will Rock You is no exception.

Creativity, freedom, expression and individuality are what we could all do with celebrating right now, and these themes are all very much present in this show. With We Will Rock You, BATS have given audiences a camp, cheery and uplifting show – perfect for putting smiles on people’s faces and making people want to dance in their seats.

There are very few tickets left for the run of We Will Rock You, and after watching, I can see why! The whole BATS company should be proud of this show they have put together. If you’re unable to get yourself to see We Will Rock You and you’re sad to have missed out…well, that’s understandable! But BATS have set themselves a reputation for great theatre, so I am sure that whatever comes next will be just as well worth seeing.

Leyla Demirel
One Show at a Time

We Will Rock You Review May 2026 - National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA)

We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical by Queen and Ben Elton. It has music and lyrics by Queen, story and script by Ben Elton and original vocal score by Brian May, Roger Taylor and Mike Dixon. It’s set in the future where original thought and individuality are banned. It is world without musical instruments. In this world there’s a group of rebels, The Bohemians including Galileo who has words and music in his dreams and Scaramouche, who captures his heart. From the Star Wars style intro on a screen to the encore of Bohemian Rhapsody, the show is packed with timeless Queen classics.

Projected backdrops were used for most of the scenes including the wasteland, Wembley stadium, Globalsoft HQ, Killer Queen’s residence and The Heartbreak Hotel. The props were amazing and included a Harley Davidson.

The costumes were excellent with modern, futuristic outfits for the Teen Queens, Khashoggi and a selection of individuals styles for the Bohemians including basque and ripped tights for Oz, kilt for Britney, leather jacket and skinny jeans for Galileo, hippy style flares for Buddy and some easily recognisable pop star outfits including Boy George, Madonna, Tina Turner and Prince.

Lighting and special effects. The lighting was amazing with a variety of colours and combinations used to enhance the action. Bars of lights were used to frame the stage and many angles and coloured filters used as well as spotlights for solos. The special effects were spectacular and included frighteningly realistic skeletons appearing on screen behind the victims of the brain draining scene and a giant game of ‘Space Invaders’ to accompany ‘Another One Bites The Dust’.

This was an electrifying show with superb performances from an outstanding cast.

The Earth has been renamed the iPlanet and individual thought and creativity has been outlawed – is brought to life by an amazingly talented bunch of performers who gave their all throughout the show. Leading the Bohemians, Dale Burrell, as Galileo, performed with confidence and charisma and was evenly matched by his fellow Bohemians: Grace Tinder (Scaramouche), Chloe Ballard as Oz and Gaz Cottier as Brit was an audience favourite and full of life and humour. Sally Manning as Killer Queen had an evil charismatic presence and powerhouse vocals. Ian Mosely was sinister and commanding as the police chief, Khashoggi. Richard Bond as the hippy librarian brought warmth and humour to this comedic role but also great emotion to his solo ‘These are the days of our lives’. The subject of the show which is set in the future – the effect of globalisation and social manipulation where young people spend a lot of their time in a virtual world – is relevant today. It has a serious message but is often hilarious as some dialogue is composed of song titles strung together in sentences and is full of puns and humorous asides. Every aspect of this production was executed perfectly led by experienced Director and Choreographer, Jenny Sawyer. The dance sequences were imaginative and performed with precision. Simon Eastwood headed up the musicians and the music was incredible from all, particularly guitar solos from Daniel Bilbey. The band accompanied the performers with their extraordinary interpretation of the Queen classics. There was not one dull moment in this staggeringly enjoyable and hugely successful production from BATS. It was so good, I went twice!

Chris Horton
District 14 Regional Reprentative
NODA and Regional Editor

It was Gaz's First Ever Musical at College and Now He's Rocking for a Second Time!

He’s a dynamic personality who drives the plot of the musical We Will Rock You. “Brit” leads a group of rebels, the Bohemians, who are passionate about bringing back rock music to a world where it’s been outlawed.

Gaz plays Brit in We Will Rock You

In rehearsal for BATS’ production of the show, actor Gaz Cottier is hurling himself “Headlong” into the role, whether it’s a physical action sequence or belting out a classic Queen song like I Want It All or Crazy Little Thing Called Love. What audiences may not realise is that Gaz has a serious visual impairment.

“I’m legally blind,” says Gaz. “I can only see out of one eye - and that’s not great. I’ve had a couple of retinal detachments and need another cataract surgery.”

“I can’t make direct eye contact, so when I’m acting opposite Chloe who plays Brit’s partner Oz, I try to focus on her nose instead!”

“I have all the music in large print on my iPad, as I can’t read the notes off paper manuscripts. We’ve also had numerous conversations about lighting levels.”

“It makes things a tad challenging,” he adds modestly. “But I assure you I’ll be absolutely fine!”

Indeed, when Gaz heard BATS were doing We Will Rock You, it was a case of Don’t Stop Me Now.

“The show’s special to me as it was the first musical I ever performed in and the first time I ever sang on stage. I was 17 and it was at sixth form college in North Wales.”

“One of the teachers was musical director of a male voice choir and encouraged me to join as he could see some promise in my voice, but he said it needed proper training.”

Fast forward almost two decades and Gaz is revisiting the show that first gave him that performing bug.

“Just being a part of singing those songs…it’s something quite special.”

See Gaz in We Will Rock You at the Haymarket, Basingstoke from 12-16 May 2026. View show information and book tickets.

"It was a Sign!" Grace Recalls the Moment she Decided to Audition for Scaramouche

We Will Rock You holds a very special place in the heart of Grace Trinder, who plays the leading role of Scaramouche in BATS’ production of the musical which features all the best-loved songs of Queen.

Grace Trinder plays Scaramouche

“It reminds me of a really nice time in my life,” says Grace, who teaches drama at the Abbey School in Reading. “I put on the show at school in 2024. Of course we all loved the songs, but finding sense in the craziness of the story with the kids was just amazing! I was also getting married around the same time, so when I saw BATS were doing the show I thought this is a sign! I just had to audition!”

After the big responsibility of directing, producing and stage managing that school version, Grace is enjoying taking to the stage herself again after a break of several years.

“I get a new energy when I go to rehearsal and do something just for me. I don’t have to make all the decisions and I’m not dealing with the stress of everything else.”

She’s loving the part of Scaramouche, the rebel on a mission to bring back rock ‘n roll to a world where music has been banned.

“She’s blunt, sarcastic - very much my sense of humour! And she gets to be in all the good songs - Somebody to Love, Who Wants to Live Forever, Under Pressure, Hammer to Fall, Headlong.”

“There are a lot of harmonies to learn so I’m just listening to the soundtrack in the car over and over again!”

It sounds like Grace has the perfect balance of a job and a hobby she loves. She certainly has no regrets about giving up a professional career in performing.

“I trained in musical theatre and acting for film. I was in the industry for a year but I didn’t like the uncertainty of it all. I didn’t want to fall out of love with the theatre - but still wanted to do a job where I could do theatre every day. Now as a teacher I’m helping kids to love it - and hopefully keeping theatre alive for the next generation!”

See Grace in We Will Rock You at the Haymarket, Basingstoke from 12-16 May 2026. View show information and book tickets.

Dale's Gearing Up to Rock for the Second Time!

“What I love most about performing is being up on stage with all your mates, having a great time and hopefully getting that across to the audience too,” says Dale Barrell, star of BATS’ production of We Will Rock You.

Dale Barrell stars as Galileo

“Then at the end you can look back and say we did it! We got through it! And it’s all about working together as part of a team.”

After making his BATS debut in Come From Away last year, Dale’s now loving playing the lead role of Galileo in the musical that features all the best loved songs of Freddie Mercury and Queen, anchored to a witty script by comedian Ben Elton.

Set in a dystopian future where live music is banned by the tyrannical Globalsoft Corporation, We Will Rock You follows rebels Galileo and Scaramouche as they fight to restore rock 'n' roll to its rightful place!

“It’s a privilege to perform all of Queen’s iconic songs - but really tough to choose a favourite,” says Dale. “Who Wants to Live Forever is a beautiful number, but I also love the big anthems like We Are The Champions. Hopefully audiences will be waving their arms and singing along to that one!”

Dale got the performing bug in local pantomimes where he also turned his hand to writing, directing and choreography. He later joined CODY musical theatre company and has just finished a run in their production of We Will Rock You in Aldershot.

Surely it’s been confusing rehearsing two separate versions of the same show?

“Fortunately not!” laughs Dale. “I played another role in the CODY show, and their version was a different interpretation to BATS. There wasn’t too much of an overlap!”

Now Dale’s fully focussed on bringing Galileo to life. He hopes audiences seeing We Will Rock You for the first time - and hearing the songs performed by a live band - will have the same reaction he experienced when he saw the original production at London’s Dominion Theatre.

“I was blown away by the music, the sound, everything! It was like a rock concert with a story. I absolutely loved it!”

See Dale in We Will Rock You at the Haymarket, Basingstoke from 12-16 May 2026. View show information and book tickets.