Things I don’t
review: everything else. Like theatre shows.
That’s just a thing,
I just don’t ever. Mostly because I can talk about books and what I like and
don’t like and not look like a dick, or if I do look like a dick (which I
might) then I don’t really care that
much because I’m confident enough about what I do and don’t like and what I do
and don’t know to throw my opinions out there in the general direction of The
Internets and not be all that bothered whether anyone else agrees.
When it comes to
anything else though I’m not sure I can get beyond ‘yes nice I like it’ and
‘yak 0/10 do not recommend’ and so I just…don’t. Hush. I see you there, reading
this at your computer screen eyebrows raised quizzically and wondering what, actually,
I am talking about because all of these words, do they even have a point?
No, actually not so
much, except that last night I went to the theatre with my Mum and my general
response was ‘yes nice I like it’ and here I am, throwing that little pearl of
wisdom in the general direction of The Internets mostly because this show is a
new show and things that are new and good deserve some love.
I
love the theatre. I have always loved the theatre and before I loved the
theatre I loved musicals. I’m talking a childhood love of Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and
Broomsticks and Calamity Jane and
My Fair Lady and Guys and Dolls. I’m talking about seeing Joseph on stage when I was still at primary school. I’m talking
about seeing Joseph in the West End.
I’m talking about Wicked on Broadway
and about Cabaret and Matilda and Cats and Les Mis and Funny Girl and The Bodyguard and We Will
Rock You and Priscilla and Betty Blue Eyes and Kinky Boots and Jesus Christ
Superstar and Little Shop of Horrors and
Phantom and The Book of Mormon and Avenue
Q and so on and so forth ad infinitum. I’m talking about my best friend as
Lina Lamont in Singing in the Rain.
And today I’m talking about Bat Out of
Hell: The Musical.
I
grew up listening to Meat Loaf, if you wondered. Any of his hits come on the
radio or get played in the pub or whatever and I can (I do) sing along word for
word because somehow you just can’t not, you know? Bat of Hell is a bit like Bohemian
Rhaspody: you can’t not belt it out whenever you hear it, belt it out loud
and like you really mean it. I went
last night at my Mum’s suggestion – the reason I grew up listening to Meat Loaf
was her. I won’t lie; if she hadn’t wanted to see it then it probably wouldn’t
have ever crossed my mind to go which, well, that in itself is probs a bit nuts
because I love me a good rock opera. Why did I ever doubt that this would be a
thing I approved of? Anyhow, there it is: I just wouldn’t have gone and I don’t
mind telling you that actually I may have been a little apprehensive about the
whole thing. Today though I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF MY APPREHENSION because it was
so good. So good.
We
had one of those lovely lovely days you know – a coffee and a quick look round
the shops, food out at a lush restaurant and a glass of wine (her) and a
mocktail (me – driving) and then the show and apart from a minor (almost
massively major) panic when she realised she’d totally left the tickets at home
it was just….lush.
Mum:
I’ve forgotten the tickets.
Me:
hahahahaha
Mum:
no, really.
Me:…….
Mum:
Jo. I don’t have the tickets.
Me:
Oh. Well…shit. Put your seatbelt back on then, we shall drive like a bat out of
hell.
(see
what I did there)
Anyway
we rang the theatre and talked to a nice boy and thanks to the wonder of the
smartphone I had the email confirmation and ALL WAS NOT LOST. But still, it was
tense there for like, a full 3 minutes. I don’t deal well with tense. Thank the
Lord for Starbucks is all I can say because holy moly I needed to be
caffeinated. There is no drama like forgotten ticket drama*
Anyway
the show is excellent, one of those shows that you kind of expect to be awesome
as soon as you sit down because the stage has no curtain and there’s a massive
motorbike and a smashed up guitar on the stage and television screens with
things like ‘The year is 2100…’ playing on them in a scene setting fashion and
you’re engaged before you’ve even taken off your coat.
It
opens with the main protagonist, Strat, delivering this monologue that gives
you all the goosebumps and I glanced at Mum in that way you do when you’re
really hoping somebody is having a nice time – like when you’ve made them sit
down to watch your favourite film and you know a really good bit is coming and
you try subtly to watch their face so as to gauge their reaction – and she had
this smile on her face and I just thought yes.
From there, from that powerful opening monologue onwards it was a spectacle, all
flashing lights and pyrotechnics and smoke and all these excellent
interpretations of songs you already know. It was well acted and well sung and
well choreographed and the set was amazing.
Also the cast: SO GOOD. The guy and girl who took the parts of Strat and Raven
especially blew my mind.
It
was rock and roll.
It
was Peter Pan does rock and roll (post apocalyptic future; city ruled by bad
guy; gang of kinds living underground, calling themselves The Lost with a
mutation that means they’ll never grow up; their leader in love with the Bad
Guy’s daughter – and tell me you know the whole Captain Hook is Wendy’s Dad
theory, right?; a character actually called Tink.) This was Neverland like you’ve
never seen it before and I was totally sold. You know I love a good reinterpretation.
AND
there was a reprise of Bat Out of Hell for
the curtain call and I sang along word for word because how could I not.
*probably
there is.
