“a deeply observant production – startlingly human, and a work of our time”
“sensitive actors, razor-sharp wordplay and a frankly beautiful score, the creators excel at reimagining musical theatre in ‘real life’ scenarios”
Oxford Culture Review
“creative venue, funny plot, and amazing music… 10/10 would recommend”
“truly impressive… Queueue managed to turn the unorthodox space of the café into a visceral virtual reality”
“Mercer and Hyde absolutely stood up to the task of combining a funny plot with powerful, upbeat techno music – every song in the play was catchy and full of energy”
Oxford Opening Night
“a landmark bit of student theatre… this is a show of bold, striking ideas and skilled performances”
“a slick and versatile score [that] shifts effortlessly from the quietly atmospheric to the intense and emotionally charged”
“Queueue is freewheeling and clever… a subversive, imaginative show [that] captures the mad, self-referential nature of life on the web”
William Shaw, Oxford Student
“a funny, thought-provoking tale of our time, giving us an immersive 360 virtual reality check”
“thumbs up x 3, lols and general lovehearts!”
“a fantastic piece of modern musical theatre in an unexpected setting [with] fine tunes and a clever script…. everyone was captivated”
Daily Info, Oxford
“a perceptive and deeply relevant creation which documents our full and weird relationship with the internet”
Frey Kaw Hawking, Oxford Student
About the Show…
Queueue is a cool indie coffee shop, pretty much like your local – and you’re invited to sit in on a 21st-century musical odyssey whilst eavesdropping on a typical cafe day. The hipster barista, Jazz, would brew you the perfect coffee and play you the best new music – except today, something’s off: customers are more interested in his wi-fi than his artisan coffee-blends. Unable to connect with his customers’ social antennae, Jazz stalks old friends on social media – their successful, settled attempts at adulting – which brings him to the brink of a quarterlife crisis. There are a hundred reasons to change careers; all he needs is one good reason to stick it out.
The story seesaws between the sober world of the cafe and the eccentric world of the internet, using a score of cutting-edge pop sounds to paint familiar scenes from contemporary life. Somewhere between a 21st century Company and Rent, Queueue is a highly caffeinated snapshot of millennial culture as seen through a coffee-obsessed, money-anxious and internet-addicted generation.
Queueue premiered at Modern Art Oxford from 3-5 June 2016, performed by a cast of Oxford University students. See below for excerpts from the original soundtrack.
The Music…
See below for excerpts from the original soundtrack, recorded by our fabulous Oxford cast:
Creatives:
Music // Stephen Hyde
Lyrics / Book // leoemercer
Crew:
Director // Scott Bolohan
Assistant Director // Rose Taylor
Musical Director // Tanay Joshi
Producer // Leo Mercer
Assistant Producer // Miranda McKay
Cast:
Alice // Jemimah Taylor
Jazz // Ben Christopher
Zoe // Jess Bollands
Cody // Charles Styles
Kylie // Amelia Gabriel
Bruno // John Paul
Shana // Lea Sayago
Tyler // Sam Lupton
stephen hyde 