Bat Out of Hell – The Alexandra, Birmingham

Book, Music and Lyrics: Jim Steinman

Director: Jay Scheib

It’s not often that The Alexandra Theatre’s ushers wear flannel. And it’s not often that this theatre sees audiences in black graphic T-shirts, fishnets, and thick eyeliner. But for the next two weeks, there will be lots more flannel, fish nets, and fun. (But they aren’t a requirement to enjoy this show!) Bat Out of Hell is a heart-thumping contemporary musical featuring the music of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman – two rock-n-roll stars in their own rights. Although it strays to the cult classic side of musical theatre, it stays well within the genre and musical fans as well as rock fans will have something to enjoy.

This musical is all about the music – the eight-piece band is featured onstage and the biggest pieces of set are two large screens above the band which are used for scene-setting as well as live video from onstage, all of which helps the show to feel both like a rock concert and a dramatic music video wrapped up inside a West End musical. The story, a post-apocalyptic take on Peter Pan, follows the dangerous love between Strat (the forever-young leader of the rebels, called The Lost) and Raven (the daughter of the soulless, power-hungry villain Falco). As tempers rise and empires fall, love always shines through.

Bat Out of Hell premiered in 2017, but two of the original cast members have returned for this tour – Sharon Sexton and Rob Fowler originated the roles of Sloane and Falco, respectively. Sexton’s killer voice, in particular, stands out, as do ensemble members Carly Burns, Ryan Carter, and Georgia Bradshaw for their solos throughout. Glenn Adamson plays a stunningly committed Strat, in his own return to the role. All are supported by a large ensemble of rockers, who bring a classic-contemporary mix to the show, wearing iconic and beautifully individualised costumes while performing more current dance styles, each with more energy than the last. Between the big voices, eight musicians, and music written by a man nicknamed the Father of the Power Ballad, Musical Director Iestyn Griffiths has a lot to manage, and he helms it masterfully.

This musical is unlike others in many respects, but the use of concert-style lighting and a live videographer (Tom Samuels) brings a new dimension to the show. While it does make an audience feel like they’re watching a music video, it also heightens the drama of the events happening onstage. Another oddity of this show is that all spoken lines and singing solos happen through handheld mics – taking the show another step further from naturalism and into heightened drama. Bat Out of Hell serves up all the dramatics, chaos, sexual intensity, anger, and passion that one might expect from a rock-n-roll concert. Add a touch of glam, some apocalyptic style set and projection design, and its rebelliously styled Peter Pan storyline, and Bat Out of Hell becomes the hit that we’ve come to expect from the drama queen rockers of the 70s and 80s.

For an evening of high-energy intensity, powerful music, and unmistakable theatrics, Bat Out of Hell is the musical for you. Be ready for everything one might expect from a typical rock concert (high volume levels included) mixed with the theatricality and flashiness of a musical – it will not disappoint. So, Heaven Can Wait, For Crying Out Loud, go, like a Bat Out of Hell, before you get All Revved Up With No Place to Go, to get your tickets before they’re gone, because Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.

Runs until 22 February 2025 and on tour