REVIEW: BAT OUT OF HELL currently at (New Wimbledon Theatre) London

You probably don’t immediately think of musical theatre when you think of Meatloaf. Nonetheless, Meatloaf is only one of many artists whose songs have been staged. Whether or if they should is a another question…

It’s electrified audiences in London, New York, Toronto and Germany, and won the audience-voted Evening Standard Award for Best New Musical. Now, Jim Steinman’s spectacular musical BAT OUT OF HELL hits the highway on a UK tour in 2022.

Bringing to life the legendary anthems of Jim Steinman & Meat Loaf, this critically-acclaimed production uniquely combines the magic and excitement of a musical with the immense energy of rock ‘n’ roll. Join Strat, the forever young leader of rebellious gang ‘The Lost’ as he falls in love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler of Obsidian.

Bat out of Hell does however have a weak musical plot. Similar to We Will Rock You, it struggles to create a believable plot that works with Meatloaf’s back catalogue; in fact, it’s a hybrid of Peter Pan meets Jesus Christ Superstar. Tink is a character that we have!

The action takes set in the near future, where man’s destruction is still wreaking misery.

Best new musicals to see in 2022

Several of the songs on Meat Loaf’s 43m-selling album Bat Out of Hell were left over from composer Jim Steinman’s abandoned attempt to write a futuristic rock musical version of Peter Pan. With their elaborate narratives and roaring choruses, the numbers always sounded as if they hoped to come home to the stage. Now, to mark the 44th anniversary of the album’s release, they have.

We meet The Lost, a group of teens who have been stuck at the age of 18 for as long as they can remember.
Living away from everyone else, they are brooding adolescents who do not shy away from danger. Or excitement.

Yet, despite the lack of story, Bat out of Hell is a fun show. This is testament to the talent of the late, great Meatloaf and the energy that his songs contain. From heavy rock anthems to slower ballads, each one provides a different kind of thrill.

The cast is fantastic though. Raven is played by Martha Kirby, who transforms from a girlish and naive young woman into an independent woman determined to live her life. Her vocal range is remarkable, and she and Strat (Glenn Adamson) have great connection.

James Chisholm (Jagwire) has a beautiful voice and his stage presence is commanding yet hopeful; the moments between him and Joelle Moses (Zahara) are some of the most tender in the whole production. Their duets are incredible as Moses’ voice is also superb – I’d love to see this pair work together again in the future and applaud David Grindrod on his impeccable casting.