Review: BAT OUT OF HELL, King's Theatre

Bat Out of Hell is a rock 'n' roll musical that features the legendary songs of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf. The wafer-thin plot revolves around Strat (Glen Adamson), the rebellious leader of a gang who is forever frozen at 18 who falls in love with Raven (Martha Kirby), the beautiful daughter of the ruler of Obsidian.

Bat Out Of Hell is a high-energy show that is hugely enjoyable. Featuring hit after hit such as "Bat Out Of Hell"; "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" and "Dead Ringer For Love" performed by a talented cast this musical is very much a vehicle for these classic anthems. Raven's parents Falco (Rob Fowler) and Sloane (Sharon Sexton) are captivating performers who are backed by a strong ensemble. This musical doesn't seem to take a breath as it delivers soaring ballads with the same enthusiasm and intensity as the big rock songs.

Having seen the original production at London's Dominion Theatre, there's no denying that the touring production has been fairly significantly scaled-down. The show still packs a punch and has impressive effects that are far more practical for a two-week stint. The staging of this production means that some elements of the show aren't visible even in the top price seats. Parts of the action are filmed on a video camera that is then projected onto a screen on stage but from the left-hand side of the grand circle this screen is almost entirely obstructed.

While the plot might be forgettable, Bat Out Of Hell is an awful lot of fun and a musical that really showcases the immense talent of their performers (Kirby and Sexton in particular). At the start of the show, there was an announcement asking that the audience stay seated throughout and refrain from singing along but there was a strong sense that it took the Tuesday night crowd a lot of restraint to comply!

Bat Out Of Hell is at the King's Theatre, Glasgow until 30 October.

Photo credit: Chris Davis

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