IMAGINE a world sometime in the future where art, pop and rock and roll have been banned. Everyone is forced to share the same fashions, originality is shunned and conformity is the norm.

Children watch the same TV channels, think the same thoughts and the world is controlled by a global corporation dominated by a Killer Queen.

It is against this backdrop that the musical We Will Rock You is set, with a plot devised by author Ben Elton to incorporate the music of rock giants Queen.

With convincing scenery, strong vocal performances and an outstanding live musical soundtrack, students at Ormiston Sudbury Academy transported audiences forward in time. The story begins with a lone dreamer named Galileo foretelling that ‘rock and roll’ will return to free people from their monotonous existence.

He meets up with a group of subterranean rebels – the Bohemians – who also dream that self expression will one day return to the world. They believe there is a sacred guitar hidden deep in a rock somewhere on the planet, which if discovered and played will restore freedom of expression and resurrect rock and roll.

The cast of 85 students put in maximum effort to deliver a lively rendition of the West End smash.

Standout vocals of the evening came from Ella Stephens as Scaramouche with other noteworthy performances from Emily Kerruish as Meat and Charlie Parsons as the Killer Queen. Bradley Clarke as Galileo and Darrell Barnard-Jones as Khashoggi should also be commended for strong and convincing acting skills. The overall performance was made by the combined musical talents of the stage band – featuring four students – which was exceptional. Sixteen-year-old Adam Chinery produced breathtaking guitar riffs in Bohemian Rhapsody that even Brian May would have been proud of.

Last year, the school put on a Little Shop of Horrors where a gigantic plant took centre stage and almost stole the show. This year, the students themselves were the shining stars. I could have quite happily returned the following night for more.