REVIEW | Bat Out of Hell UK Tour
BAT OUT OF HELL (UK TOUR)
Alexandra theatre, birmingham
★★★★
"Theatre needs you now more than ever," says actor Rob Fowler at the conclusion of this electric production in Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre. There is no doubt that these next few months will be the most challenging for the industry that is going full throttle to ensure that audiences can still experience the escapism theatre delivers. Bat Out of the Hell has the right ingredients in ensuing that; phenomenal staging coupled with the eye-catching lighting, a fierce soundtrack and a cast that oozes passion and punch to the last note.
This jukebox musical premiered at the Manchester Opera House in 2017 before opening at the Dominion Theatre, London on 2 April 2018. Audiences flocked to see this show, time and time again. It's great to have a powerful musical making its way on a circuit across the UK in an exciting new tour which will no doubt have the fans of the music score flocking to their seats to enjoy.
The huge selling point is the soundtrack, the legendary anthems of Jim Steinman and Meatloaf, conducted by Robert Emery, that intertwine into a dystopian future, although it definitely aligns with the classic story of Peter Pan. Chemical wars have taken place and a group of teenagers 'The Lost' aged 18 for the foreseeable future as a result of DNA freezing. The musical is great fun, a bit crude and exaggerated at times (the Harley Davidson and all-American hot convertible doesn't add anything to the plot) but it delivers in the enthusiasm department and this audience lapped up the opportunity to just enjoy those performers give it their all on stage.
Bat Out of Hell has a clever way of thrusting you into the action. A camera operator gives us a documentary view that is projected on a large scale rear stage screen. It enables us to transition to different scenes without the bulk of moving set on and off stage, a great way of having a better understanding of our leading lady Raven, played Martha Kirby.
As this story unfolds, we see Raven is desperate to see what is beyond her bedroom window. Restricted by her father, the authoritative ruler Falco (Rob Fowler). Unfortunately for him, she falls in love with Strat (Glenn Adamson) who is the leader of 'The Lost' rebellious gang. This relationship creates a Romeo and Juliet-esque onto the plot as Fowler's character tries to steer Raven from the appeal of what is outside the four walls of her home. Falco and Sloane allow us in on a side plot that their relationship isn't the same anymore neither. Their rendition of 'What Part Of My Body Hurts the Most' is one of the best performances of the night. Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton originated these roles back in 2017 and they have definitely made them their own. I thoroughly enjoyed their performance.
Glenn Adamson is exceptional as Strat, he fits perfectly to the rock style of this genre with ease. He knows how to command the stage as the leading man, taking us on a thrilling journey in this jukebox musical. Martha Kirby matches him with her powerful voice as Raven well and it was great to see how she executed this role, the last time I saw her was in Grease at the Curve, Leicester. Kirby has really grown in this role and their last duet in 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now' will take your breath away.
But it was certainly the ensemble cast who attacked the choreography like none other. My eyes were immediately drawn to how they executed the sharp and sudden change in tempo that takes place in rock music. Their energy really oozed from the stage and managed to fill the void of not having a lot of props on set to really develop the scenery. It's clear that this production used every penny of their budget to deliver an unforgettable show!
The plot wasn't strong at all but my goodness, this show delivers the perfect form of escapism we all need right now! All Revved Up With No Place To Go? Book some tickets for the Bat Out of Hell UK Tour! Tickets and dates are available here.