Bat Out Of Hell - The Musical, Opera House, Manchester

Jim Steinman's Bat Out of Hell songs have always been theatrical, the Meat Loaf gigs too have always been full of energy, so it was only natural that the songs should feature in a musical.

You might just go to see the show to hear the songs and you certainly will not be disappointed as this fine, young cast do a superb job of delivering the songs in an energetic and powerful way, but there is an actual story going on too. The songs though fit within the dialogue of the musical and they are not stand alone tracks as the lyrics fit in with what is happening on the stage.

If you do book to see the show, try to sit in the middle of the auditorium as there are a lot of scenes that take place at different angles of the stage and although there are TV screens at either side of the stage, you will see it better if you are centre stage so to speak.

The story is set in the future where the eternally young Strat (Andrew Polec) falls in love with 18 year old Raven (Christina Bennington) whose father Falco (Rob Fowler) tries to control her as tries to lock her away.

It starts off in a dark way and at first it seemed to have touches of Twin Peaks.

There are 3 love stories going on throughout the show: the one between Strat and Raven, the one between Falco and his wife Sloane (Sharon Sexton) who try to recapture the love they had when they first met and thirdly the love that Jagwire (Dom Hartley-Harris) has for Zahara (Danielle Steers). Unfortunately Zahara does not feel the same way about Jagwire.

As Zahara and Jagwire duet on Two Out of Three Ain't Bad you realise that they are talking about 2 out of 3 love stories going on through the musical.

It is a visual treat as well as an aural one: be surprised to see the members of the orchestra coming out of the stage as the Cadillac that Falco and Sloane are on, goes crashing into the orchestra and landing on top of them!

Falco at the end of the evening even dives into a pool on the stage and comes out all wet wearing a different set of clothes.

The producers have found a new star in Andrew Polec: he brings the Meatloaf songs to life and he can dance as well as sing: his manic stare looks like a man possessed. The whole cast look like they could be in a rock band - Giovanni Spano (Ledoux) even fronts the band deVience in real life.

All the Meatloaf sings you associate with Bat out of Hell are present. Most of the songs are sung as duets, the version of Deadringer For Love sounded just as good as the original version, if not better.

It's loud, proud but also brilliantly performed. It was so good I can't wait to see it again. It will take the words right out of your mouth!

Runs until 29 April 2017
Opera House, Manchester M3 3HP
Tickets from £17.50
www.atgtickets.com/Manchester
Telephone: 0844 871 3018