West End show We Will Rock You proved to be the most successful week-long run ever at the Regent Theatre, boosting the prospects of the venue into 2020 alongside one of the most successful pantomimes ever.

Ipswich Star: The cast of We Will Rock You. Picture: JOHAN PERRSONThe cast of We Will Rock You. Picture: JOHAN PERRSON (Image: Archant)

The hit show, which came to Ipswich in September 2019 following its run in London, completely sold out, giving Suffolk's biggest capacity theatre one of the largest profit yields in history.

The show was so good, that former Queen guitarist Brian May, whose band's music is the basis of the performance, attended in Ipswich.

We Will Rock You was so successful that the theatre booked another run of dates starting in June 2020, giving those in Suffolk a second chance to see the rocking spectacle.

Regent Theatre general manager Alan Dodd said that show marks the start of a new generation at the venue.

Ipswich Star: Ian McIntosh as Galileo in We Will Rock You: Johan PerssonIan McIntosh as Galileo in We Will Rock You: Johan Persson (Image: Johan Persson)

He said: "I've not been in the job for long so We Will Rock You was the first show I oversaw and it was brilliant.

"It was the most successful week long show ever and we were lucky to be the first venue that they visited while on tour and it was so good that we got them booked in for another week at the end of June and the start of July.

"We want to be attracting all of the biggest West End show to Ipswich. We are lucky that the Regent has a big capacity and now we can show that there is an appetite for those shows."

Off the back of the success of We Will Rock You, Cinderella also proved a winner with the public this winter.

Ipswich Star: The cast of We Will Rock You. Picture: JOHAN PERRSONThe cast of We Will Rock You. Picture: JOHAN PERRSON (Image: Archant)

The pantomime which starred former S Club 7 member Hannah Spearritt was one of the most successful ever meaning that the theatre ended 2019 well, and Mr Dodd hopes that 2020 will continue in the same vein across Ipswich's venues.

He said: "We want to have the best of all genres at the regent, the best comedians, the best musicians and the best West End shows.

"We also have the Corn Exchange which has some great acts there, some really big prospects at the start of their careers. We want to give the people of Ipswich and Suffolk the chance to see some really brilliant shows in their home town.

"I think that is really exciting and that is one of the reasons why I took this job. We are also looking into the development of the Regent so that we can house all of the best West End shows.

Ipswich Star: Elena Skye as Scaramouche in We Will Rock You. Picture: Johan PerssonElena Skye as Scaramouche in We Will Rock You. Picture: Johan Persson (Image: Johan Persson)

"There are a lot of discussions to be had, but I hope we can look to develop the stage, the back-stage area and also the frontage."

Ipswich Star: Brian May was in the audience of the first Ipswich We Will Rock You. Picture: MATTHEW JAMES FRIENDBrian May was in the audience of the first Ipswich We Will Rock You. Picture: MATTHEW JAMES FRIEND (Image: Picture: MATTHEW JAMES FRIEND)