THE pantomime rock of Queen meets the acerbic yet flamboyant imagination of Ben Elton in this jukebox musical with substance.

Heading up the talented cast as musical freedom fighter Galileo Figaro – geddit? – is former Hear’say member Noel Sullivan, whose TV talent show pedigree adds a frisson of irony to the UK touring production.

It’s 2046 and the world is a soulless place where rock ’n’ roll exists only as a phrase with no real meaning – the accumulated result of Simon Cowell sewing up the Christmas charts, the BBC axing Top of the Pops and “Globalsoft” corporation conspiring to make all music manufactured by computer.

When members of the underground “Bohemians” resistance group are caught by the authorities, their brains are electronically addled and they’re sent to the Seven Seas of Rhye to drown their sorrows at the bottom of a glass like true faded rock stars.

Galileo, an outsider who dreams lyrics from long-lost hits, is their hope of ending the cruel Killer Queen’s regime and bringing real music back to the world.

With a soundtrack that’s won over the audience even before they’ve bought their tickets, the show can’t go wrong.

Queen’s back catalogue is melodic, varied and outrageous – all the ingredients needed for a successful musical. And it’s performed the way it should be – full throttle with a live band and belting vocals.

The plot is characteristically Elton, kicking out at those sanitising popular culture with a mixture of humour and scorn.

It wobbles a bit towards the end, with a “better start wrapping things up, chaps” feel to the final scenes, but it’s bonkers enough to carry the mighty soundtrack and is packed with strong characters.

Sullivan proves he’s better than Popstars with a firm performance and great singing voice, while ex-Brooksider Leon Lopez makes an energetic Britney Spears, the kilted freedom fighter on a mission.

Musicals stalwart Earl Carpenter (Phantom, Les Misérables) is an icily cool Khashoggi, Killer Queen’s chief henchman.

But when it comes to performances it’s ladies night with Amanda Coutts (Galileo’s outspoken love interest Scaramouche), Jenny Douglas (Bohemian rebel Meat) and Ashley J Russell (Killer Queen) upstaging the boys.

And, yes, it does feature Bohemian Rhapsody – eventually.