We missed the previous West End runs of Bat Out of Hell, so going in to see the show, we weren’t quite sure what to expect from it and, honestly? Coming out the other side we weren’t entirely sure what we’d just watched. Of course, we were expecting to hear some classic songs and hopefully some strong singing talent – but what would the show have in store, in terms of the narrative?
The plot is a very loose retelling of Peter Pan and features Strat (Glenn Adamson) as the ringleader of eternally youthful gang The Lost. He falls for the rebellious Raven (Katie Tonkinson) who is the daughter of Falco (Rob Fowler), who we believe is the governor of the post-apocalyptic town we find ourselves in. We also meet Falco’s wife Sloane (Sharon Sexton) and the couple deliver the most interesting and unexpected duet of the evening. There is a third romantic thread to follow, between Zahara and Jagwire (Georgia Bradshaw and Ryan Carter, both excellent singers), who are also members of The Lost.
This is about as much as we ascertained in terms of a plot. Over the course of a couple of hours we also met other members of The Lost, but we couldn’t really tell you why they were there or much about what they did. We sort of followed what was going on, but never really understood why any of it happened or what we were meant to take away. At best, the story is thin and forgettable, at worst it’s genuinely confusing and often drags.
Thank goodness, then, for the songs and these singers. The hits are drawn from Jim Steinman’s back catalogue, many of which were made famous by Meat Loaf, and the dramatic nature of this music lends itself very nicely to musical theatre. There are some stunning solos, a selection of heartwarming duets and a handful of enjoyable ensemble moments, with a bit of fun choreography thrown in.
We did a little research into past productions and we understand that previous runs of Bat Out of Hell have given audiences much more of a spectacle, which may have distracted from the show’s underlying flaws. With this minimalistic touring production, however, the plot and book are painfully exposed and they’re both somewhat lacking. Being honest we’d rather have had a staged concert instead – an hour with this band and these singers would have been far more enjoyable than sitting through the whole story.
GAY TIMES gives Bat Out of Hell – 2/5
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