When I heard the hit musical Bat Out of Hell was coming to His Majesty’s Theatre, I just knew it would be right up my street.
Being a 90s kid, I was only really properly introduced to Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell as a teenager in High School, and immediately fell in love with the music.
From Jim Steinman’s bizarre storytelling to Michael Lee Aday’s incredible voice and the impressive instrumentals, it’s stood the test of time.
But I had no idea it was always supposed to be a musical, with Steinman wanting to write a rock and roll take on Peter Pan called Neverland.
This vision came to life 40 years later and Bat Out of Hell first hit the stage in 2017.
There are still elements of the classic story in the show, but it’s also set in what I understood to be a post-apocalyptic city.
It follows the forbidden love story between Strat, who leads the gang of forever 18-year-old outsiders called the Lost, and the rebellious Raven, whose dad Falco is the tyrannical leader of the city.
I already had high hopes for this production, and somehow, it was even better than I could have imagined.
Stage-shaking performances and eccentric characters
Taking my seat in the upper circle of His Majesty’s Theatre on opening night, my eye was immediately drawn to the set.
Particularly the two big screens hanging above the stage, before noticing the band, a gigantic tunnel and a bed on another smaller stage…
It wasn’t long before the music burst out, and the actors were all over the stage.
The characters were all so eccentric, and the acting was superb. At times, I didn’t know where to look because there was just so much action.
And the signing truly did bring Meat Loaf’s anthems to life.
Kudos must be given to Glenn Adamson, who reprised the role of Strat. Honestly, he brought such raw, almost manic, energy to the stage I could believe he was a love-struck 18-year-old in charge of a band of misfit punks living in tunnels under the city…
And his voice was phenomenal.
With the help of the band, lighting effects and confetti canons, his rendition of the title number Bat Out of Hell was a stage-shaking triumph.
Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton also returned as Falco and Sloane, Raven’s parents. I thought they did a stellar job of creating their dysfunctional family and both had fantastic voices too.
Katie Tonkinson also deserves a mention for her portrayal of the rebellious teen Raven, and her performance of It’s All Coming Back to Me Now had me hooked.
Electric energy and non-stop rock and roll, not to be missed
Having the eight-piece band perform live on stage elevated the show, making the music come alive.
And this was enhanced by the camera work, which was unexpected, but brought a whole other element to the production. It felt as though we were watching a music video on the big screens, and was so cleverly done.
I also loved that the characters carried physical mics, like true rockstars.
Honestly, there were just so many thoughtful touches and different props adding to the experience, but it didn’t feel overly stylised.
The costumes were fantastic, with everyone looking incredibly cool, and the choreography was so on point, I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
By the end, everyone was up and out of their seats dancing along, but I was surprised that everyone managed to keep their Meat Loaf impressions to themselves…
It really was a night charged with electric energy and non-stop rock and roll hits.
I’d go as far as to say it’s one of the best musicals I’ve seen yet.
The show runs until Saturday, you can still find tickets here.
Conversation