Musical confounds critics with Broadway transfer

The musical We Will Rock You, based on Queen songs and written by the band with the comedian, Ben Elton, is on course to transfer to Broadway, despite a string of atrocious reviews.

Although a critical flop, the West End show has grossed more than £4m in the five weeks since it opened and has been seen by 100,000 people.

Booking has now been extended to next January, strengthening plans to open further productions in the United States and other countries next year.

The musical is set in the year 2032 when earth has become Planet Mall, where everyone wears the same clothing and rock music is banned. There is a love story between two young rebels called Galileo and Scaramouche.

The Independent's critic, Fiona Sturges, wrote: "Surely they could have come up with something better than this." The Times suggested that Queen's late singer Freddie Mercury would have left the show half-way through.

But the £6.5m extravaganza appears to have benefited from the Queen's jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace that began with Queen guitarist Brian May's rendition of the national anthem. Sales of the band's greatest hits albums soared after the concert.

Paul Roberts, one of the producers of We Will Rock You, said the backstage team had been concerned about audiences for the musical after reviews that might have killed off lesser shows. But he said: "They're scratching their heads at why the critics were so vitriolic. It's an entertaining show for people who want a good night out. It's no Shakespearean effort, it's a way of telling a daft story and letting people hear as many Queen hits as possible. You just check your brain in at the door and have a good time."