Bat Out of Hell
Rocking into the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre this week is jukebox musical ‘Bat Out of Hell’, which you’ve probably guessed features the back catalogue of Meatloaf. In true flamboyant Meatloaf style, this show is jam packed with dramatic, high octane, theatrical numbers guaranteed to unleash your inner rock god!
The story is essentially that of Peter Pan with parallels to the Lost Boys, with familiar character names such as Tink. We meet Strat (Glenn Adamson) who falls in love with Raven (Katie Tonkinson), however her father Falco (Rob Fowler) does everything within his power to scupper their relationship, much to the detriment of his own relationship with Sloane (Sharon Sexton). The story intertwines the many iconic songs of Meatloaf including ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me Now’, ‘Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad’, ‘You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth’ and of course ‘Bat Out Of Hell’.
Casting for this tour is 100% spot on. Leading the way is Glenn Adamson as Strat whose performance is nothing short of showstopping. The energy is off the scale, and with a voice that took the ceiling off the theatre, it’s no wonder he has returned to this role yet again. The chemistry between Adamson and Katie Tonkinson as Raven was palpable. Tonkinson commands the stage with her softer vocal, however the rock style also suits her voice and showcases her incredible talent. Fowler and Sexton, also returning to their roles as Falco and Sloane provided some comic relief, especially during their big number ‘Paradise By The Dashboard Light’ where you end up seeing more of them than perhaps anticipated! They work so well together, with tight vocals and fantastic story telling abilities.
This musical does have tones of ‘We Will Rock You’ centring the action in a dystopian world where you’re not really sure the of the decade or moment in time. This works well to amplify the drama. The set, designed by Jon Bausor gives us that dark, dramatic vibe and with the use of handheld cameras to display some of the action on big screens at the back of the stage, this draws us in even further to the story. The cast mostly use handheld microphones giving that air of rock concert throughout, again giving a slightly different sound well suited to this genre of music.
The band, under the musical supervision of Michael Reed sit at the top of the stage rocking out and providing the classic rock sound synonymous with Meatloaf. Costuming by Jon Bausor complemented the style of the setting and your typical rock wear with leather jackets a plenty.
I would urge any fan of Meatloaf, rock music, or incredible talent to head and see Bat Out of Hell as it makes its way around the UK through until September 2025. Full tour details here: Bat Out Of Hell | UK Tour 2025
This show was reviewed on the 14th July 2025 at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre where it runs until the 19th July 2025. Full tour details here: Bat Out Of Hell | Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Review written by Emma Rowley
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Photo credit : Chris Davis
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