Total Eclipse - Symphonic Steinman at London Coliseum Review
Written by Annie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
One-night concerts are becoming one of the hottest tickets in the West End of recent times - giving more shows and artists exposure to the biggest stages in the UK and audiences chances to see something independently special. The most recent offering from Darren Bell & Sam Quested took to the London Coliseum stage last night - a celebration of the life works of the infamous Jim Steinman.
“Total Eclipse - Symphonic Steinman” is a one-off concert celebrating the great artists’ iconic works - a perfect balance of symphonic and rock hybrid, it honours the immense complexity and genius of Steinman’s catalogue. Steinman’s works are far from “just” a historic rock song or a perfect ballad; they’re entire theatrical works in their own right.
Starring a star-studded cast, the auditorium was surrounded by powerhouse vocals. Glen Adamson led the company - known for his monumental stint in Bat out of Hell, he was the only choice for this concert, a true star. Joining Adamson were the brilliant Danielle Steers and Natalie May Paris, who both held out of this world power in their performances. Zoe Birkett and Tyce Green offered an incredible rendition of Steinman’s “Dead Ringer for Love”. Both Red and Christina Bianco joined the lineup, offering sublime performances of Steinman’s more ballad-y side of his catalogue. Finally, as the name would suggest, the night closed with an impeccable rendition of “Total Eclipse” by the divinely powerful Karine Hannah.
The cast sing alongside the ENO Orchestra, who were embellished with some more rock-eqsue band members to bring Steinman’s music to life. The music felt perfectly at home in the space, and the orchestra were given multiple interludes to display their talent and honour Steinman’s scores which really unified the entire evening.
Many one-night concerts have recently struggled with sound difficulties, which can often limit the impact of the evening. However, last night, the sound and production was immaculately considered - each performer’s microphone worked seamlessly and without any hiccups, and they were balanced perfectly against the onstage orchestra. This really elevated the overall impact of the evening and made the whole production feel more assured than expected from a one night only concert.
It’s evident why Steinman’s music has become some for the history books, and resonates with so many fans. It’s truly a fully immersive experience - not just for the lyrics but the entire musical journey you’re taken on through each song. They work incredibly well as standalone numbers, but also it is clear to see why they’ve become so successful in jukebox musicals - as they already fit the mold of what you’d expect from a musical theatre performance whilst also being their entirely own entity.
Total Eclipse - Symphonic Steinman is a tremendous show, one which brought together fans from all walks of life for an out of body experience, celebrating one of the greatest artists of recent history.
Total Eclipse - Symphonic Steinman played at the London Coliseum on 3 May 2026.
★ ★ ★ ★
