Yes it is real life. No, it's not just fantasy. The lyrics to Queen's rock hit Bohemian Rhapsody will be glimmer in glorious neon above Carnaby later this year.
The light display — guaranteed to have you scaramouche-ing to yourself for the rest of the day — coincides with the release of the film Bohemian Rhapsody on 24 October. It tells the story of the band — Freddie Mercury in particular — in the lead up to the famous 1985 Live Aid performance.
The lights will be in place from early October until the end of January, and although Carnaby have labelled it as an art installation rather than Christmas lights, we're promised that Christmas decorations will take the form of "additional elements installed at the beginning of November".
Carnaby landlords Shaftesbury has collaborated with Twentieth Century Fox on the installation, which also includes Queen's crest, designed by Mercury himself. The famous Carnaby shimmering flag will be topped off with an illuminated crown for the occasion.
An exhibition about the band with costumes and photos takes place to mark the film's release. The exhibition and pop-up shop opens at 3 Carnaby Street on 10 October 2018, until January 2019, with the Freddie Mercury waxwork from Madame Tussauds scheduled to make an appearance at some point. The events begin on 5 September with a day of happenings celebrating Freddie Mercury's birthday, and raising money for The Mercury Phoenix Trust.
