The perfect tribute to music legends Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman, Vicky Edwards catches up with Martha Kirby and Glenn Adamson from Jim Steinman’s Bat Out of Hell – The Musical.
If you didn’t already know that Bat Out of Hell started life as a musical, it’s a fact that probably comes as no surprise – the songs are so theatrical and anthemic. Entitled Neverland and written by Steinman in 1974, the premise was a futuristic Peter Pan story. But producers didn’t bite, so in 1977 the album was recorded instead, claiming an eight-year tenancy in the UK charts and turning Meat Loaf a global superstar.
And when the show finally hit the stage in 2017, the result was pretty much the same: two sell-out West End seasons and a ‘packed-to the-rafters’ run in Manchester. Now, in the wake of Steinman’s death last year, and more recently that of Meat Loaf, it certainly feels like a fitting time for their theatrical legacy to be embarking on a national tour.
Ernie Almond’s review
The London Production of Bat Out Of Hell won all sorts of awards, from Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical to 8 WhatsOnStage awards including Best New Musical. Having now seen the touring version as it came screaming into MK Theatre starring local actor Glenn Adamson as Strat and Martha Kirby as Raven, I can honestly say that every one of those awards (& more) should be repeated for the touring production of the show. obviously a tour of a show as big as this has its own technical difficulties. For example, you cant push a whole car into the orchestra pit, so Raven calmly takes out the engine and throws that in!
Apart from the two leads i did enjoy Falco & Sloane (Jamie Jukes & Laura Johnson) but quite honestly even those little mentions are unfair because every person on that stage was faultless! Some good comedy sprinkled across it and some truly excellent dancing. But its the songs that we all loved Meat Loaf for that strike home so accurately. With the amount of special effects (I refuse to give any away) which were stunningly executed and the huge sets, I don’t see how this show can move into a theatre one day, have tech runs and open on the Tuesday with a wonderfully slick and polished performance! But ask anyone thats seen it and they’ll tell you its a show you simply must not miss! Apart from the cast, the songs, the sets and the effects, theres also a fine live band conducted by Iestyn Griffiths.
The perfect post-pandemic pick-me-up, Bat Out of Hell – The Musical also honours the memory of two brilliant musicians, Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman. Grab your tickets. Paying your respects will be a total pleasure.
Bat Out of Hell is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 25 June.
Tickets are available from ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes
