Bat Out Of Hell The Musical

[PanicLord]

Originally Posted by PanicLord

Just got back from seeing it tonight and I'm delighted to report that the musical is an absolute blast. The set is genius, the songs of course sublime and brilliantly performed, it's colourful, loud, fun, and inventive.

Body is awesome and it was a real treat to see that live. Bat is staged superbly. Paradise ends with something I've never seen before or will again.

Seeing the songs I / we love interpreted in this way was an absolute joy and brings new insight and meaning to the songs. And as opposed to e.g. mamma Mia where you think oh that song works surprisingly well in that setting, it is clear that these songs were designed for these characters and situations. You know like a REAL musical.

Any constructive suggestions? Well only a very small number of very minor things, being really picky. I have no expertise in musicals either so I may well be talking out of my arse lol. But just some thoughts as an audience member.. oooh and I will try and avoid spoilers.

1. Agree with the comment on some bits of choreography in Act 1 especially on Paradise. Either needs a big injection of energy OR to maximise the quirkiness of it to make it a feature. It reminded me and the Mrs of Rocky Horror in style a little. I guess either play it large for laughs or dance the hell out of it. It just came across as a bit under done. Loving the swim wear though 😍 oh and the song itself is delivered brilliantly with a hilariously cool thing that happens at the end.

2. Tink. I wasn't entirely clear what sort of relationship he had or has with Strat, and why it was so important. A little bit more back story would really add oomph to later events. Don't get me wrong it worked well but could have been given more impact.

3. Objects. Difficult to describe my thoughts without spoilers. But umm I think it would make more sense for them to finish singing before their situation is resolved. You would imagine they would beat a hasty retreat rather than hang around for one more verse. But it is a superbly emotional and beautiful performance of the song which almost brought me to tears. Awesome.

4. Not entirely sure why Falco turns up at the end? I mean I know he has to, but maybe he should get a line or two trying to explain why he came and getting shushed or something.

5. 2 out of 3. Maybe show those characters arguing in the background of various scenes so that they have a legitimate reason to sing the song? Stellar performance of the song though 😀

6. Some of the songs seemed a bit chopped short. No need. Jim's songs are designed long. Sing em long.


That's it, really tiny bits that occurred to me.

Oh by the way please do NOT get rid of Dead Ringer. Yes it's a little gratuitous, but it's brilliantly done and a cracking tune to boot.

Anyway I am delighted that Jim's work is finally out there, and in such brilliant hands. The show is an absolute blast and worth every penny.

Congratulations to everyone involved and I wish you and the show a super long extended run!

Sorry it was very late and I forgot to add that it is also extremely moving in places, it has depth, so it's not just hollow spectacle. Far from it in fact.

[eltmatt]

Yes^^^! Someone's trolling Jim on Facebook saying it's worse than we will rock you, idiots!

[letsgotoofar]

Originally Posted by eltmatt

Yes^^^! Someone's trolling Jim on Facebook saying it's worse than we will rock you, idiots!

Not everything is how it appears at face value. The person in question apparently has a history with Jim that didn't go so well; he's hardly the first person to have such a history, and by the looks of recent events (with Jim's people publicly badmouthing tribute albums as if they somehow interfere with the success of a musical currently too early in its growth to have had significant success that could be at all impeded), he's certainly not going to be the last. As I understand it, this person's particular grievances of a business nature may yet be aired in a courtroom. Further, Jim has been profoundly unkind (unprovoked, mind you) in public on Facebook to this person and his business associates in the past; my reading of the thread suggests Jim started with a jab at them and they responded in kind. But others may, of course, disagree.

Speaking for myself, I dunno. I've tried really hard to grok the Neverland thing, but it's always escaped my grasp. I think the person in that thread could hardly be faulted for saying that the show reads to them, at least on the surface, as "We Will Rock You with a Meat Loaf score." (Those, I believe, are their exact words; nobody said, or even implied, it was worse, though I admit it seems they didn't feel an approach like the one they described was particularly creative.) There are a lot of basic plot and character similarities (again, on a surface level). Others have made the same comparison, some even on Jim's forum (read the full thread for effect). I wouldn't necessarily say that's an insulting comparison either; say what you will about its quality, but WWRY has been a massive commercial success. One would hope Bat aspires to climb to similar heights.

[ThatWriterGuy]

Two things I can tell you:

1. BAT is nothing like WWRY, unless you mean that it's a story that has got songs in it. I'll give you that.

2. The story above RE 'an individual's experience with Jim' is more than a little 'biased', to say the least.

[letsgotoofar]

Originally Posted by ThatWriterGuy

Two things I can tell you:

1. BAT is nothing like WWRY, unless you mean that it's a story that has got songs in it. I'll give you that.

2. The story above RE 'an individual's experience with Jim' is more than a little 'biased', to say the least.

With regard to the first matter you raise, I don't know that I'd say it's "nothing" like WWRY: post-apocalyptic setting, teenagers rebelling against a totalitarian government led by male and female authority figures, love stories involving the teenagers, dramatic (one would almost say theatrical) rock music with complex layers and complicated arrangements, at one point it looks like the baddies triumph but it turns around by show's end, big curtain call performance of one of the most noted numbers associated with the artist from whose catalogue the show's score is derived... I mean, the specifics are different, but generally speaking, could one really call that comparison a reach? (And this is leaving out other similarities, like the fact that Jim once approached Ben Elton to work on the book, according to a past blog entry which inspired a Playbill story but was later removed from the blog; a poster referenced this in a thread on a theater board about the story at the time.) At the very least it's a closer match than that piece of dreck Tonight's the Night.

On the second point: how accurate the story is lies in how it looks to other people. I read it, and saw someone responding to a jab in that thread, and reported what I felt I observed. The rest is just what I've heard. One man's meat, as they say.

[ThatWriterGuy]

Yep, and The Lion King is Hamlet and Westside Story is Romeo and Juliette -- we could argue about plot vs story vs archetype until the sun comes up, but I don't have the time (which is a shame -- because there's more to say on this).

As for 'point B' -- hardly impartial or objective, given those involved

[nightinr]

Are the management team happy with the ticket sales in Manchester? They have ran several TV adverts and invested massively in marketing in the local area.

[ThatWriterGuy]

Ticket sales have been great for previews. You seem to be fixated on this -- really, there's no need, enjoy yourself

[letsgotoofar]

Originally Posted by ThatWriterGuy

Yep, and The Lion King is Hamlet and Westside Story is Romeo and Juliette -- we could argue about plot vs story vs archetype until the sun comes up, but I don't have the time (which is a shame -- because there's more to say on this).

I won't bother addressing your other point because we both know from past conversations on that count that it's a slippery slope to nowhere, but I will simply say in response to your first that no one was arguing plot vs. story vs. archetype, least of all me.

The question was a vague, general one of whether the show was anything like WWRY, and while the specifics differ, whether the tropes or archetypes are common or not, there are some general similarities, and since splitting hairs seems to be the point of your response, they are similarities in the vein of archetypal figures and common post-apocalyptic story tropes. It's not good or bad (unless you're not a fan of WWRY, I guess), it's just something that is. It exists. Saying they are nothing alike is inaccurate as long as these base-line comparisons of something alike can be made, in my personal opinion. You're welcome to disagree, as it seems you do.

(Worth noting: I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying, "Okay, sure, you say that; I disagree with what you say, and here's why, but feel free to think how you like." As you well know, in theater as in any art, there is no right or wrong answer until the show opens. Then there are either right answers [if it was a hit] or, in hindsight, a few right answers and plenty of wrong ones [in the case of a flop].)

[ashkent7]

I come here, and Jim's board, because of something real.

Soap opera's belong on TV.

Let's keep it about something real. Something you can reach out an feel if you prefer.

Many salutations and long nights to you all.

[ThatWriterGuy]

All I'll say is 'feel free to come back to me once you've actually seen it'.

[eltmatt]

I've seen both, all I can say is WWRY feels like a thrown together Jukebox musical, Bat has depth and does not feel that way.

I'd love to know more about this individuals business dealings with Jim

[letsgotoofar]

The time and place will come for that soon enough.

[Kev]

I went last night and to be fair, it was pretty amazing. Seeing What Part Of My Body brought tears to my eyes - in fact a lot of the second half did.

I'm not going to bore everyone with details but it was exceptional. I'm not too sure if this was because it was the final preview before tonight's 'opening'.

We were invited down by management so didn't pay for tickets but would have been more than happy to pay for what we saw.

[AG1990]

Hi all,

Just posting the link to our official ★★★★★ review from last night's sensational Bat Out of Hell press night at the Manchester Opera House:

http://www.theartsshelf.com/2017/03/...se-manchester/

Adam G,
The Arts Shelf

[Danny L]

All 5* reviews. A TRIUMPH.

And word has it that after Manchester there will be a cast album, some recording has taken place.

[eltmatt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyv8...ature=youtu.be

[Danny L]

Naughty but fab - can't wait for the official cast recording, relive the night over and over and over again!

[ashkent7]

Originally Posted by eltmatt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyv8...ature=youtu.be

For me this has always been Jim's lost masterpiece - having never been fully realised with The Dream Engine group - but finally it's arrived.

[Wario]

Originally Posted by eltmatt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyv8...ature=youtu.be

They are just standing like sticks wtf.

great vocals

[samurai7]

I'd love there to be a movie adaptation. If the best picture awards can go to La La Land in 2017, then there'll never be a better time is there to pitch the idea...

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by eltmatt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyv8...ature=youtu.be

This really should have been graced by Meat's vocals between 2006-2010

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by samurai7

I'd love there to be a movie adaptation. If the best picture awards can go to La La Land in 2017, then there'll never be a better time is there to pitch the idea...

Except La La Land didn't win, or did it, or did it not, or did it? IMO the director's previous film Whiplash was far superior (also nominated but not in as many departments). To me bizarre Oscar nominations to get 15 but this constantly happens. I doubt the technical nominations are so easily justified.

Always thought Original Sin could have formed the basis for a musical movie.

[PanicLord]

Originally Posted by Wario

They are just standing like sticks wtf.

great vocals

Not entirely true, but trust me, when you see it live, that's all that's needed. It was awesome.

[Wario]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

This really should have been graced by Meat's vocals between 2006-2010

Meat might have already recorded it back then and theyll use his recording possibly

I hope. otherwise, no