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Queen musical We Will Rock You to close in West End after 12 years

Show to close in London at the end of May

Daisy Wyatt
Wednesday 12 March 2014 10:58 GMT
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Freddie Mercury of rock band Queen on the front of the Dominion theatre where the show 'We will rock you' plays in London
Freddie Mercury of rock band Queen on the front of the Dominion theatre where the show 'We will rock you' plays in London

Queen musical We Will Rock You is to close in London at the end of May after a 12 year run.

The show, which was created by Queen’s Brian May, Roger Taylor and writer Ben Elton, will close on 31 May having played to more than 6.5 million people at the Dominion Theatre.

The theatre said it was “privileged” to host the musical, but now looks forward to welcoming an “exciting new production” next year.

The musical, which is based around Queen hits such as "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Radio Ga Ga" and "Another One Bites The Dust", currently stars Kevin Kennedy, best known as Coronation Street’s Curly Watts.

Critics have never been kind on the show, with even Queen drummer Roger Taylor telling Mojo Magazine that the script was “slightly crass”.

Despite the criticism, the musical has been seen by more than 16 million people in 28 countries around the globe.

In 2011, nine years on from the show’s debut, it won the Olivier Audience Award, the only category voted for entirely by the public.

In a statement, the show’s creators said: “We want to thank every one of the many hundreds of incredible musical theatre artists, musicians and crew with whom we've had the privilege of working at the Dominion since 2002.

"And of course the incredible audiences who have rewarded them with over four and a half thousand standing ovations.”

David Pearson, the Dominion Theatre general manager, said: “It has been a privilege to have hosted We Will Rock You for the past 12 years.

"To have the show rocking the Dominion and seeing a standing ovation night after night has been quite amazing.

“We wish the show every success for the future, as we now prepare to accelerate our restoration and refurbishment programme ready to welcome an exciting new production in 2015.”

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