The Palace Theatre welcomed back Bat Out of Hell: The Musical for a glorious night of feel-good ballads.
Quirky American rock singer Meat Loaf and his creative partner Jim Steinman gave us an album that left an eternal mark on the world.
Bat Out of Hell sounds like punky opera, so for it to become the inspiration for a play was inevitable. It sold over 43 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling studio albums of all time.
In true rock and roll fashion, a Harley Davidson motorcycle was parked on a red carpet as guests arrived at the Palace Theatre on Wednesday evening.
Glenn Adamson, Sharon Sexton, and Rob Fowler were once again cast as Strat, Sloane, and Falco, alongside Katie Tonkinson who played Raven.
The story sees Raven and Strat form a bond against her father’s will. Despite his efforts to keep them apart, Falco learns that teenage love is stronger than his relationship with his daughter.
Strat, a lost boy, embodies the spirit of Peter Pan, which makes Raven’s infatuation even more magical. The duet proves their devotion through song, belting out worldly sirens about how they would do anything for love.
Director Jay Scheib used an eight-piece band throughout the musical. Glamorous 80s-esque costumes also complimented the roaring, gifted voices on stage.
Meat Loaf would be proud
We heard hits including Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, For Crying Out Loud, Paradise By The Dashboard Light, and of course, the title track, Bat Out of Hell.
The contrast of sparking jackets and rebellious headbands… pink briefs and gothic makeup, somehow just made sense. The costumes complimented the fantastic choreography, which was full of energy and very well-synced.
The audience saw some of the scenes close up, and from multiple angles – a great use of video equipment. And an overall retro vibe seemingly drew inspiration from the 90s sequel album too. Hats off to the Creative team.
Meat Loaf said that he and Steinberg had a soul deep connection. The cast and crew of this musical did a phenomenal job embodying this epic collaboration. A lot of work appears to have gone into it, and they seem to have had a great time delivering it.
Meat Loaf’s music is symbolic of nostalgic moments for many, and no doubt a guilty pleasure for some. This musical will hopefully teach all generations about highly underrated ‘oldies’.
The show will run 24 February to 8 March 2025. Tickets are available here.
Feature image courtesy of Chris Davis Studio
Join the discussion