Casey Donovan. It's a name that will forever be steeped in 'Australian Idol' history.
When she was 16, she became the youngest contestant to win the competition. And not soon after, she gained a number one hit single 'Listen With Your Heart'. Then, almost as quickly as she'd shot to fame, she left it, pulling away from the limelight to re-evaluate her career.
But where so many before her have faded never to return, Donovan chose to rise from the ashes years later and into a theatrical musical career. Since then the singer has gone from strength to strength, snatching up larger than life roles as Mama Cass in 'The Flower Children', Cynthia in 'The Sapphires', Joanne in 'RENT' and now as Killer Queen, in Ben Elton's 'We Will Rock You'.
© Jeff BusbyFirst penned in 2001 and this year reworked for the modern audience, 'We Will Rock You' draws on the music of Queen to bring us a story of a futuristic world led by Killer Queen, a virtual character who has broken out of her own game. Under her reign, all rock music has been banned and in its place is a brand of synthesised pop which she uses to maintain a stronghold over her citizens.
Well, not all of her citizens. There are rebels; bohemians as they call themselves, imbued with memories of when rock music ruled who are determined to bring it back. Our Killer Queen, Donovan, tells us more.
In this version of 'We Will Rock You', Ben Elton has re-imagined his musical for a modern audience. Were you familiar with the original version/s? If so, how do they differ from this one?
I was not… Although I did have a cheeky listen to some of the songs from the London run... Shhh.
How closely do you feel Elton's story aligns with our times?
It's pretty close… In the way of social media and not having "real friends" I think it hits the nail on the head.
Do you think we're really moving away from face-to-face communication toward a virtual world?
In some way yes, the technology we have is becoming so smart and updated that soon people won't know how to hold a proper conversation or pick up on people's emotional reactions… I mean take this interview for example, you send an email, I answer the questions and send them back. No actual communication. You don't get to hear me giggle at the things I say or when things get a little awkward. I just put a comma or full stop to let you know when I've taken a breath or finished a thought.
© Jeff BusbyIf Elton's world did become a reality and we ended up living in a world dominated by virtual reality, whose side would you be on: Killer Queen's or the Bohemian's?
Why? I'm pretty sure, I am the Killer Queen :p I'd be a Bohemian, purely for the fact that I know what the killer queen does to those yuppies and and there's a feather duster laying around....Run!
The music of 'We Will Rock You' features the greatest music of Queen's career. Describe what your first encounter with the music of Queen was...
I was watching 'The Mighty Ducks'. You know, at the end after they had won and they start singing 'We Are The Champions' That was my introduction...Then I asked my mum to buy me some roller blades... It was awesome.
Which Queen song or lyric resonates most with you at this moment and why?
"You're my best friend". It's nearing the end of the Sydney season and I'll be traveling for a solid 8 months and leaving my friends behind :(
In 'We Will Rock You', you play Killer Queen, a video game character come to life. What character notes/ description were you given when practising the part?
"Stand still, there is a lot of power in stillness", "You're the ruler of the planet".
© Jeff BusbyWhat do you think you bring to the part of Killer Queen compared to previous actresses?
Goodness, um, big eyes? Hahaha... I can't really comment on that, I think all Killer Queens have something magical about them... I'll stick with eyes.
There are two things to love about your version of Killer Queen. The first is that she's larger than life and the second are her amazing costumes. How did you feel when you saw the creations your character would be wearing? And more importantly, will you keep any?
I was in awe at how stunning the KQ's outfits looked! The design team did a fantastical job! It's great when you get to work with people that absolutely love their job, take great pride in what they do and people who care about how you look. And being that she is "larger than life" her outfits match her moods down to a T!
We Will Rock You Tour Dates
From 10 July – Queensland Performing Arts Centre (Brisbane)From 30 August – Regent Theatre (Melbourne)
From 15 November – Crown Theatre (Perth)
From 31 December – Adelaide Festival Centre
