We Will Rock You

We Will Rock You opens at the Kings Theatre on Saturday 17 October, with the run continuing through to Saturday 24 October. It's a jukebox musical built around Queen's greatest hits, and the set list doesn't hold back on the big ones: Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love, Don't Stop Me Now and We Are the Champions are all in there. The book is by Ben Elton, and the whole thing is set in a vaguely Orwellian future called the iPlanet, where rock music has been banned and the villainous Killer Queen is in charge. The story follows two young rebels, Galileo and Scaramouche, who team up with a group of Bohemians to break free and bring back the free exchange of thought and culture.

It's a well-known show with a long history behind it. The original West End production was directed by Christopher Renshaw and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, opening at the Dominion Theatre on 14 May 2002. Despite a rough start with the critics, it became an audience favourite and went on to be the longest-running musical the Dominion ever hosted, closing on 31 May 2014 after 4,600 performances. Brian May and Roger Taylor often turned up at premieres to play Bohemian Rhapsody, with May taking the guitar solo. This Portsmouth staging is put on by the same team behind the venue's productions of Grease, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Annie and The Full Monty.

There are plenty of dates to choose from over the eight-day run. It kicks off with a 7:30pm show on Saturday 17 October, followed by a 5:00pm matinee on Sunday 18 October. After a short break, it returns on Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October, both at 7:30pm. Thursday 22 October is a double-header with a 2:30pm matinee and a 7:30pm evening performance, and Friday 23 October runs at 7:30pm. The run closes on Saturday 24 October, which also has two shows: 2:30pm and 7:30pm. Tickets start from £10, and the theatre is at 20-24 Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth PO5 2QJ.