I am a huge fan of rock music and also of musical theatre, so why hadn’t I seen this production prior to witnessing the Scottish Theatre Forum’s superb version last year? Who knows, certainly not me.

I was originally a little sceptical when hearing that a Youth Theatre was tackling 20 plus Queen songs in tandem with Ben Elton’s script, but I need not have been. This production by Dunfermline based Carnegie Youth Theatre, playing to packed houses, was up there with the best of the amateur performances of any show I’ve seen over many years and certainly better than more than a few professional ones too!!

This musical extravaganza is set in the future on the Planet Mall, previously known as Earth, where everything and everyone is programmed, from music to fashion to attitude. All are regulated by the Killer Queen, Cara Hirst, and policed by Khashoggi, portrayed by Darren Phillip Johnson, together with the Ga-Ga Cops.  All that is except a few rebels who refuse to conform and believe that in days of yore there was a time when kids formed their own bands and wrote their own music and that one-day this music will be heard again. The bohemians as they are known are searching for a leader to inspire them in the quest for this nirvana and this is an ideal role for Galileo, Andy Gourlay, together with his on-off girlfriend, rock-chick Scaramouche played by Jill Nadin.

Ably supported by Pop, Chris Barclay, Britney and Meat, Ryan Roger and Sarah McGhie, together with a whole host of bohemians, teen queens, ga-ga cops and assorted others this true ensemble perform with style, verve and oodles of talent. Creative direction, inspiring enthusiastic choreography, colourful costumes and an outstanding band all add to the truly excellent experience. All of the principals were very good and it slightly goes against the grain to single anyone out of such a high class performance, but I cannot get the performance of Andy Gourlay out of my head. His guy is class with a capital C. If he is not a musical theatre superstar in the making, then I’ve never seen one.

So if you fancy a chance to witness this spectacle and find out if the Bohemians get their rhapsody, if Galileo and Scaramouche do the fandango then try to get your ticket at once. I’m sure that there won’t be many if any left, but try anyway.

On Wednesday night they very nearly took the roof off the Carnegie Hall Dunfermline, and so I’m expecting the show to be al-fresco when we return for the final night on Saturday.