Action Ability cast '˜will rock you' with new show

Theatre lovers will be going '˜Radio Ga Ga' when Belfast based charity Action Ability takes to the stage with the much anticipated production of Bohemian Bap City in the Grand Opera House on Tuesday June 26.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jun 2018, 11:11 BST
Updated 19th Jun 2018, 16:32 BST

Members of Action Ability will take to the stage alongside the UK’s leading Queen tribute band, Flash Harry, in this satirical comedy which explores ‘Freddie Mercury’s’ journey and quest of becoming a rock star, whilst growing up in the streets of our capital city.

Flash Harry’s own Freddie Mercury, Harry Hamilton, was delighted to be invited to join the cast on stage. “The director Joe decided to create a show around the music of Queen and he thought of us,” he said.

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Harry and the rest of the band never set out to become a Queen Tribute act. When Freddie Mercury passed away the friends, who were already playing on the local music scene, decided to stage a show in his honour. Such was the success of that night that they performed again - and again. And suddenly it was 26 years later and they have become the leading Queen tribute band in the UK, much to Harry’s surprise. “It evolved very quickly,” he admits. “After two or three shows it became something much greater. I thought maybe it would last for a couple of years but now its 26 years later.”

Harry and the band have become synonymous with Queen, so it was only natural for Action Ability to ask them to be part of their latest production. “It is a very theatrical show and the music plays a part in it but we are secondary to the theatrical production that is going on,” explained Harry. “The idea is that the central character wants to be Freddy Mercury and I am his alter ego, his older self. At the end of the show Flash Harry comes on and we play some live pieces.”

Rehearsals have been going well and everyone is looking forward to the curtain going up. “It is a very demanding thing to perform on the stage of the Grand Opera House. So for the cast to come in and perform at this level is fantastic,” added Harry, who admitted to falling the first time he was on the Opera House stage. Project Manager for Action Ability, Liz Gracey, assures this will be a night filled with music and laughter. “We can promise that our cast and Flash Harry will put on a professional and hilariously funny performance, and ‘We Will Rock You’!”

Tickets for Bohemian Bap City are available from Box Office on 028 9024 1919 and online at www.goh.co.uk.

Related topics:Freddie MercuryBelfast