REVIEW: Guest Reviewer Kym Vaitiekus Shares His Thoughts On BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL

Friday 27th Januart 2023, Qudos Arena.

BAT OUT OF HELL, the stadium, arena, rock concert, stage musical.

Bat Out Of Hell is the 1977 debut album by American rock singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman. It is one of the best-selling albums in history. The album was developed from a musical, Neverland, a futuristic rock version of Peter Pan, which Steinman wrote for a workshop in 1974.

Steinman is credited for the book lyrics and music for this BAT OUT OF HELL the musical.

Using the popular hit songs, this production set in a dystopian world, follows the immortal Strat (Glenn Adamson).

Along with his tribe, these teen's DNA is frozen, they remain 18 forever. They oppose the tyrannical Falco (Rob Fowler), the leader of the city. Falco's and his daughter Raven (Kellie Gnauck) clash, this drives her to the arms of Strat.

As this Romeo and Juliet style adventure continues, the plot explores the clash of class, unrequited love, turbulent relationships, and the fight of the oppressed.

The four leads Glenn Adamson (Strat), Kellie Gnauck (Raven), Rob Fowler (Falco) and Sharon Sexton (Slaone) with their commanding voices, along with the superb band, bring to life the Steinman songs with verve and gusto.

It's a great night to hear this album belted out with power, expertise, and a superb sound system.

Director Jay Scheib has gathered a fine ensemble with glorious voices and energetic choreography.

Scheib has combined a few theatrical elements, there are two screens of different sizes that provide live close ups in some scenes and background graphics, and scenery in others.

The band is on an elevated stage that the characters traverse throughout the show.

Next to that is another smaller platform stage where the interior and bedroom scenes are performed.

In the opening scenes Scheib uses all these chosen elements. At times one wondered where to place your attention. The stage blocking and dancing were vast, then the close ups on the two screens seemed points to watch, as well as action on the small stage.

In the various set ups these production choices changed.

Sometimes there were close ups and others not. Sometimes the screen had the actors the same size as they appeared live on stage which seemed a waste of the live camera.

The two numbers that closed the first act did pull all the elements together seamlessly. Curiously there were no close ups, and the power of the performance conveyed the essence of the songs and their drama.

Having said this, it was also valuable to see the close ups in some of the other scenes.

From the production's shots of the world tour, it seems it was played, at times, at smaller venues than the stadium arena. There were also designed stage pieces to give a complete setting to the interiors.

Kudos to Schieb to converting this to the arena venue. Although some of the performance details were lost and it felt like it wavered between a theatre musical and a concert show.

Patrick Woodroffe's lighting and Finn Ross's video design created the astounding staging that included fire cannons and glitter bombs that made up the concert style performance.

Steinman's book has made the choice to include a humour, one liners that he may have assumed would appeal to the audience of this rock album.

The crude, tits and arse jokes did receive some laughs. The Duet between Falco and Sloane incorporated this humour, and their revealing actions were in the same vein. Some of the audience whooped this up. Power to Fowler and Sexton as they bought Scheib's vision to life with zest and skill.

As someone who saw Meatloaf perform this album on his original tour, it's not hard to make an comparison. Meatloaf and Ellen Foley gave gravitas and power to Steinman's songs. Their emotion, drama and performances were electric. In this current production Steinman's book, calls for an inclusion of some more light-hearted moments.

The power of "I'd do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)", is in the verse's final few lines. In tonight's production this essence was almost removed when Strat makes a "do I have to?' look, on that essential last line, changing its importance and emphasis.

If you love the Bat Out Of Hell Album, catch this show for the awesome sound and the experience to hear it performed with rock and roll power and to do it amongst like-minded souls.

The stage musical is an added bonus with some enjoyable and impactful scenes.

Photo credit Glenn Pokorny

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