THE show promised to rock you and it certainly didn’t disappoint, as it opened at the Sunderland Empire.

The futuristic hit musical, based around 24 of Queen’s greatest hits, was already guaranteed to provide great tunes, but a talented, goodlooking young cast, with fantastic voices, combined with stunning visual effects, made for an electric atmosphere that many musicals would struggle to match.

The show’s creator, comedian Ben Elton, was obviously delighted with the reception it received, as it opened to a packed house.

In many ways, the script paid homage to the Eighties film version of Flash Gordon, for which Queen provided the soundtrack, and was science fiction meets the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Comedy villains Jonathan Wilkes, as Khashoggi, and X Factor finalist Brenda Edwards, as Killer Queen, threatened to steal the show as the leaders of a totalitarian state, where youngsters are banned from rocking out.

Soap star Kevin Kennedy, previously best known as the drippy Curly in Coronation Street, was a revelation as Pop.

But the real stars were the young leads – Alex Gaumond, as Galileo, Sarah French-Ellis, as Scaramouche, Wayne Robinson, as Britney, and Georgina Hagen, as Meat.

An audience of all ages were clapping and singing along in a style that was more rock concert than musical, and the roof almost came off when Queen’s guitarist Brian May took to the stage for the closing number (although his appearance on the opening night was expected to be a one-off).

The buzz around the theatre suggested everybody left happy. Don’t miss it. It’s a treat.

■ Until June 27. Tickets 0844-8472499.