OOC: Character Information

[selfconfessednutter]

People stared at the make-up on his face,
Laughed at his long black hair, his animal grace. 
The boy in the bright blue jeans,
Jumped up on the stage,
And Lady Stardust sang his songs
Of darkness and disgrace

Galileo Figaro is the central character of the musical We Will Rock You. A Dreamer who hears strange words and sounds in his head, he is the one foretold to bring back the Golden Age of Rock'n'Roll. The character's name is a reference to Bohemian Rhapsody. Is believed in to be a reincarnation of Freddie Mercury, but this is debatable and interpretation can vary from show to show.

Originally born www/gordon@thejones's.com, Galileo is in his late teens. He is very different to the other teens - GaGa Kids - who we meet in the play. He is a sullen, disaffected teen, foregoing the happy, kooky clothes the other wear; and is described as the James Dean of his time, a rebel without a cause, sensitive and confused. A coiled spring waiting to go boing! When we first meet him in the play, Galileo has a slight stutter, but we sense that it is more the result of him not being able to find the words he wants to say, rather than a genuine disability. It also appears to be connected to his own self confidence.

"I don't want to programme music. I want to make music. Real music. My own music."

Galileo has spent all his life being plagued by dreams. These dreams are not the usual sort of dreams, they are filled with sounds, and noises, and words which he does not understand or even have a hope of comprehending. It is due to these dreams that he has no hope of fitting in the normal GaGa Society - he's simply that man man, after all - and when we first meet him in show, he seems to have long given up hope of ever managing to fit in. However, despite this, he remains unusually idealistic, positive that these dreams are the result of some greater destiny for him.

"I know I talk about myself a lot but - hey - there's a lot to say... All my life, all my life I've felt that I have a sort of purpose, a special destiny. That has to mean something, surely..."
"It does; that you're an arrogant self-important arsehole. What special destiny?"
"It's to do with the stuff I dream. The phrases, they always come back to the same thing, I see a great wide space, and people, people everywhere, and noise, huge, huge noise! And then come the words..."
"What words?"
"Seek salvation in the place of living rock... A bright, bright star will show the way... go to where the Champions played!"

A huge turning point in Galileo's life is when he is arrested. This occurs on his graduation from the Virtual High School, where he finally lets his scorn for all things GaGa be known. The Teacher informs on him, and he is arrested by the Commander of the Secret Police himself, Khashoggi. During the interrogation it becomes known that Khashoggi has been aware of Galileo for a while, hinting that there is more to Galileo's unusual situation than we know. It is soon after this that he meets the girl who will become Scaramouche.

"I love you, Scaramouche."
"I love you too, Gazza Fizza."

Scaramouche is a hard character, extermely defensive and down-to-Earth when compared with Galileo's dreaming self. Like Galileo, Scaramouche does not fit, swathing her body in huge dark clothes; the classic disaffected Goth teenager. The two are attracted to each other, but filled with adolescent self-consciousness and confusion. It isn't love at first sight, but it's close. Meeting Scaramouche causes a change in Galileo, it has - to take the term from the script - 'put some lead in his pencil'. He is less tense and nervous and more strutting. A state which Scaramouche can quickly change with a few well chosen words.

"We've found him. This dude is the one. He's the man."
"I say he's a spy."
"No, he's the Dreamer, the one we've been waiting for, this is him."

After he and Scaramouche escape, they are soon found by the Bohemians. It is here that Galileo learns of his destiny, and that his Dreams do have meaning, just as he has always believed. This may not have been the best idea, as it brings out his more arrogant side, but considering the life he is hinted to have grown up with - he admits to Scaramouche to being previously suicidal, and his opening song does have a sadder feel to it with this knowledge - it could be considered excusable. From here; Galileo becomes - for him - more focused, determined to fulfill his destiny.

"And now, let's rock!"

A casting sheet for the show gave the following attributes to Galileo: male, late teens, attractive, sexy, vulnerable, sensitive, doesn't fit in, a rebel, restless, headstrong, stubborn, tense, nervous comic tick, has a mission to accomplish with his life, tries to find the right way to fulfill his dreams. High rock voice with strong falsetto