Peter Pan meets West Side Story meets Mad Max in Bat Out of Hell, a production featuring the propulsive, emotional songs of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman (the musical’s title comes from Meat Loaf’s 1977 album of the same title, one of the best-selling records of all time). It wears its heart on its leather-clad sleeve from start to finish, and for fans of this genre of music, it’s hard to not feel at times like you’re at a rock concert.
The “plot” is based in the post-apocalyptic world (we think?) of Obsidian, lorded over by the evil Falco (we think?), whose daughter falls in love with Strat, a member of an outcast group called the Lost, who remain 18 forever (we wish!). Oh, and there’s a lot of motorcycles and classic cars, too, most of which end up getting blown up or destroyed in horrific crashes. It’s a completely over-the-top tableau upon which to layer classics like “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” and “I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” sung with absolute conviction by a gorgeous cast.
The staging is compelling, with plenty of design highlights to catch your eye. A large, angular building looms on the right side of the stage, complete with a fully decorated bedroom for scenes featuring Falco’s daughter, Raven (Alize Cruz), with a cameraman following her every action and broadcasting it on a large screen on the left. Just below the screen is a large sewer tunnel through which the Lost come and go. A live band offstage delivers pitch-perfect versions of all the hits (they wave to the audience on the video screen at show’s end).
As a longtime fan of Meat Loaf’s music (and his legendary stage persona), it was truly goosebump-inducing when Strat, in a romantic moment with Raven, inquires, “Would you offer up your throat to the wolf with the red roses?” And judging by the excited whoops and hollers from the rest of the audience at that line’s utterance, I wasn’t the only one.
Paris, batoutofhellvegas.com
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