Ian Waller enjoys the opening night of an award-winning musical based on the songs of that monster of rock, Meatloaf
The sirens were screaming and the fires were howling, way down in the Bristol Hippodrome last night as the opening night of Bath Out Of Hell came to town, and I have a feeling that Meatloaf himself would have been very happy indeed!
Bath Out Of Hell is, of course, the multi-million selling album by Meatloaf and songwriter/composer supreme Jim Steinman, which, along with a couple of sequels, made the two international stars with the music becoming the backdrop for many teenage rock lovers.
And now those songs and that music are back on stage, cleverly crafted into a tale of teenage rebellion, motorbikes and screeching guitars in an aptly over-the-top production that is a joy to behold.
As the curtains rise, with the rumble barely dying away from the revving of the 50 Harley Davidson motorbikes that had turned up outside the theatre for the opening night, we’re greeted by post-apocalyptic landscape where ‘The Lost’ roam, a gang of teenagers who, due to the apocalypse, cannot age, staying 18 forever. Yes, you’ve probably twigged a futuristic Peter Pan vibe starting here and it turns out that this was composer Steinman’s inspiration for the tale, although I don’t ever remember the lost boys on motorbikes or fighting with the police!
The result is hugely entertaining, combining the music that made Meatloaf huge with some great performances, interlaced with just the right levels of humour and romance to keep the largely middle-aged audience entertained.
At the centre of the action is Glen Adamson as Strat, leader of The Lost in a bad-boy we all love kind of way – all good looks, charm and tattoos, albeit accompanied by a slightly annoying habit of forever bouncing around the stage, more like a hyperactive Tigger than a rebellious teen. It’s left to Adamson to take on a good few of the most well known and anthemic of Meathloaf’s songs including Bath Out Of Hell itself, which he achieves with huge skill.
What the performances do show is just what an amazing voice Meatloaf possessed – you really do want to go home afterwards and dig out the old vinyls. However, the show’s creators have cleverly adapted a number of the hits – most notably Heaven Can Wait and Objects In The Rearview Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are – to fit both the plotline and the skills of the performers.
Of the many stand-out moments, the tragi-comedy of Paradise By The Dashboard Light, with Strat’s love interest, Raven, having to witness her mum and dad making out like teenagers in the back seat of an old open-top car, is brilliantly played by Rob Fowler as Falco and Franziska Schuster as Sloane. Great fun and slightly cringy too.
The production’s use of the stage and in particular two video screens, with the camera operator on stage and in among the cast, is hugely effective, almost social media to the nth degree – very creative and very clever.
If there’s a bad point it has to be the choreography. While the dancing skills on display were excellent, the routines were often distracting and in no obvious way part of the action. But overall this is nitpicking. Bath Out Of Hell is a real triumph – cute, corny and clichéd yes, but perfect for those over 50s looking to trip back in time.
Bath Out Of Hell runs at the Bristol Hippodrome until 20 August. For more details and to book tickets, click here.