Bat out of Hell Musical

nightinr · 11 Feb 2023, 14:22

Hearing reports the musical will permanently end in the spring. The original intention was another UK tour this year, but hearing reports this has been scrapped.

Can anybody confirm?

proctorloaf · 11 Feb 2023, 16:25

I doubt it will permanently end but it may not tour in 2023 after the London Run.

AndrewG · 11 Feb 2023, 16:56

Well the Las Vegas one ended abruptly recently so maybe it's a sign.
https://playbill.com/article/las-veg...ncial-troubles

It's scheduled to go to Vienna and Zurich after the London run for a bit but after that who knows.

Doubt anyone would bother to revive it if it does end to be honest.

FrancineCyclesTheUS · 19 Feb 2023, 23:00

Well, I guess so. Which would be sad for sure.
But it's also sad what they did to the musical.
All the cuttings... it's not BOOH anymore (at least for me).
I won't go again which is heartbreaking, but they've butchered it, they've smashed it...
because of all the changes (in my opinion).

jcmoorehead · 20 Feb 2023, 10:02

We unfortunately never got the chance to go, we had tickets for it, but between the travel across to Glasgow, my gf not feeling well on the day and the fact that we had been to see Genesis not that much before and had Marillion to go to only a few weeks afterwards, we skipped it.

Feels like a shame it might be closing if that's true, it'd be the removal of one of the few things out there celebrating Meat/Jims music, but it seems like it was a little bit troubled from the start, so I'm not massively surprised.

Nige78 · 20 Feb 2023, 10:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancineCyclesTheUS

Well, I guess so. Which would be sad for sure.
But it's also sad what they did to the musical.
All the cuttings... it's not BOOH anymore (at least for me).
I won't go again which is heartbreaking, but they've butchered it, they've smashed it...
because of all the changes (in my opinion).

What have they changed?

jcmoorehead · 20 Feb 2023, 13:53

From what I understand, and I could be wrong, some of the story has been stripped from it, in favour of it being more just about the songs?

letsgotoofar · 20 Feb 2023, 17:49

As ThatWriterGuy can attest, storytelling vs. songs has been a struggle for this show almost since 1969 if we go back to the roots (e.g., The Dream Engine and Neverland). My tuppence is that the whole story was never nearly as strong on paper as the piles of ideas Jim described in interviews, which ultimately shot them in the foot. Whoever's minding the store now may feel that if there is less story, then the most problematic element becomes less of one. I think that's taking the easy way out, but that's just me.

FrancineCyclesTheUS · 20 Feb 2023, 17:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nige78

What have they changed?

They cut out many dialogues, scenes and songs.
(Songs: It just won't quit, In the land of the pigs, Not allowed to love, Good girls go to heaven, who needs the young).

Tink doesn't die anymore. In fact he is friends with Falco in the end..
If you ask me, it has become a cheap parody of what was once...
PERFECT.

AndrewG · 20 Feb 2023, 21:33

Well I have still not seen BOOH the musical but I was disappointed what was done with We Will Rock You after hearing rave reviews over the years.

It seemed the makers were sort of on the edge of something that could have been quite great and instead the show comes across as cheap, tacky and lack of drama. Even Ben Elton's narration introduction sort of sets that tone. As if you are seeing a pantomine with some Queen songs thrown in. Consider some of the mega strong lyrics in the songs that could in a slow reprise setting, literally have someone crawling on the floor on stage and leave the audience in tears: "If I could only reach you, if I could make you smile, If I could only reach you. That would really be a breakthrough...."
I'm stunned such obvious things weren't done. The best song Bohemian Rhapsody isn't even tied into the story which is insane.

It seems a similar attitude was perhaps present during production of BOOH the musical, but most certainly the touring versions going by the comments and some of the things I'm reading "encore". What the hell? Encore? Handheld microphones used? This is supposed to be musical theatre, not a rock show.

Just playing the songs is simply not good enough. The lyrics must be lived, felt, re-prised at key moments. A hell of lot of is possible.
The fantasy setting doesn't interest me. The emotion, drama, escape etc all do.

nightinr · 20 Feb 2023, 22:17

The coreography/dancing in the show has always been terrible.....

ThatWriterGuy · 21 Feb 2023, 12:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewG

This is supposed to be musical theatre, not a rock show.

Are you sure about that?

"This show brings Theatre to Rock N Roll, as opposed to Rock N Roll to Theatre."

- Jim Steinman, Bat Out of Hell TM, 2014.

proctorloaf · 26 Feb 2023, 12:11

NEWS FROM BOOH PRESS NIGHT

There are plans to tour in 2024.
There is a very special something coming which all fans of the show will be excited about and something I'd thought wouldn't happen for 10 years! (I was close with 7)

I loved the new version of the show. It flows a lot better without Who Needs the Young. Not Allowed to Love should be put back in.

Nothing will ever replace the feeling of the 4 hour world premiere version in Manchester with all the songs in it or the subsequent swapping and changing of songs in those first 7 weeks. I am still dying to hear Andrew and Danielle sing Speaking in Tongues!!

The show is now much faster paced and on Tuesday it ROCKED the house down. Vocally stunning and it looks absolutely awesome on the stage. Choreo and Book - still weak but how do you dance to Jim Steinman and the issue with the book for me is that the balance between the plot and Jim's beautiful poetry hasn't been reached. If the book was pushed more into the operatic style of broad narrative strokes pushed forward by Jim's spoken word pieces, it would be much more satisfying for me. Lord knows there is enough material.

Never Stop Rocking!

ThatWriterGuy · 26 Feb 2023, 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by proctorloaf

If the book was pushed more into the operatic style of broad narrative strokes pushed forward by Jim's spoken word pieces, it would be much more satisfying for me.

Funnily enough, this too was rejected.

Quote:

Originally Posted by proctorloaf

how do you dance to Jim Steinman

YouTube Video

proctorloaf · 26 Feb 2023, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatWriterGuy

Funnily enough, this too was rejected.

YouTube Video

If this video (or any of the Bad for Good ones) were the reference point, no wonder it's not good. The day after I saw Newsies - musically a very different style but the choreo was out of this world!

Tanz has good choreo

In BOOH - the flapping bat ears during the song Bat out of Hell make my day every time I see it - but for the wrong reasons. It was a big ask. They tried something 'boundary pushing' but it doesn't work.

ThatWriterGuy · 26 Feb 2023, 16:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by proctorloaf

If this video (or any of the Bad for Good ones) were the reference point, no wonder it's not good.

Relax. It was a joke.

Quote:

Originally Posted by proctorloaf

In BOOH - the flapping bat ears during the song Bat out of Hell make my day every time I see it - but for the wrong reasons.

nightinr · 26 Feb 2023, 17:25

What is this "very special something"....Andrew Polec to return?

11 Feb 2023, 14:22	#1
nightinr Super Loafer Join Date: 04.09.2011 Posts: 358	Bat out of Hell Musical Hearing reports the musical will permanently end in the spring. The original intention was another UK tour this year, but hearing reports this has been scrapped. Can anybody confirm?

20 Feb 2023, 21:33	#10
AndrewG I hope your salmon sucks! Join Date: 18.01.2004 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 7,077	Well I have still not seen BOOH the musical but I was disappointed what was done with We Will Rock You after hearing rave reviews over the years. It seemed the makers were sort of on the edge of something that could have been quite great and instead the show comes across as cheap, tacky and lack of drama. Even Ben Elton's narration introduction sort of sets that tone. As if you are seeing a pantomine with some Queen songs thrown in. Consider some of the mega strong lyrics in the songs that could in a slow reprise setting, literally have someone crawling on the floor on stage and leave the audience in tears: "If I could only reach you, if I could make you smile, If I could only reach you. That would really be a breakthrough...." I'm stunned such obvious things weren't done. The best song Bohemian Rhapsody isn't even tied into the story which is insane. It seems a similar attitude was perhaps present during production of BOOH the musical, but most certainly the touring versions going by the comments and some of the things I'm reading "encore". What the hell? Encore? Handheld microphones used? This is supposed to be musical theatre, not a rock show. Just playing the songs is simply not good enough. The lyrics must be lived, felt, re-prised at key moments. A hell of lot of is possible. The fantasy setting doesn't interest me. The emotion, drama, escape etc all do. Last edited by AndrewG; 20 Feb 2023 at 22:00.

11 Feb 2023, 16:25	#2
proctorloaf Super Loafer Join Date: 28.02.2010 Location: Liverpool, UK Posts: 353	I doubt it will permanently end but it may not tour in 2023 after the London Run.

11 Feb 2023, 16:56	#3
AndrewG I hope your salmon sucks! Join Date: 18.01.2004 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 7,077	Well the Las Vegas one ended abruptly recently so maybe it's a sign. https://playbill.com/article/las-veg...ncial-troubles It's scheduled to go to Vienna and Zurich after the London run for a bit but after that who knows. Doubt anyone would bother to revive it if it does end to be honest.

19 Feb 2023, 23:00	#4
FrancineCyclesTheUS Junior Loafer Join Date: 15.07.2015 Location: Posts: 45	Well, I guess so. Which would be sad for sure. But it's also sad what they did to the musical. All the cuttings... it's not BOOH anymore (at least for me). I won't go again which is heartbreaking, but they've butchered it, they've smashed it... because of all the changes (in my opinion).

20 Feb 2023, 10:02	#5
jcmoorehead Super Loafer Join Date: 09.04.2003 Location: Edinburgh, formerly Teesside Posts: 671	We unfortunately never got the chance to go, we had tickets for it, but between the travel across to Glasgow, my gf not feeling well on the day and the fact that we had been to see Genesis not that much before and had Marillion to go to only a few weeks afterwards, we skipped it. Feels like a shame it might be closing if that's true, it'd be the removal of one of the few things out there celebrating Meat/Jims music, but it seems like it was a little bit troubled from the start, so I'm not massively surprised.

20 Feb 2023, 13:53	#7
jcmoorehead Super Loafer Join Date: 09.04.2003 Location: Edinburgh, formerly Teesside Posts: 671	From what I understand, and I could be wrong, some of the story has been stripped from it, in favour of it being more just about the songs?

20 Feb 2023, 17:49	#8
letsgotoofar Super Loafer Join Date: 12.09.2016 Location: In front of a computer, duh. Posts: 422	As ThatWriterGuy can attest, storytelling vs. songs has been a struggle for this show almost since 1969 if we go back to the roots (e.g., The Dream Engine and Neverland). My tuppence is that the whole story was never nearly as strong on paper as the piles of ideas Jim described in interviews, which ultimately shot them in the foot. Whoever's minding the store now may feel that if there is less story, then the most problematic element becomes less of one. I think that's taking the easy way out, but that's just me.

20 Feb 2023, 22:17	#11
nightinr Super Loafer Join Date: 04.09.2011 Posts: 358	The coreography/dancing in the show has always been terrible.....

26 Feb 2023, 12:11	#13
proctorloaf Super Loafer Join Date: 28.02.2010 Location: Liverpool, UK Posts: 353	NEWS FROM BOOH PRESS NIGHT There are plans to tour in 2024. There is a very special something coming which all fans of the show will be excited about and something I'd thought wouldn't happen for 10 years! (I was close with 7) I loved the new version of the show. It flows a lot better without Who Needs the Young. Not Allowed to Love should be put back in. Nothing will ever replace the feeling of the 4 hour world premiere version in Manchester with all the songs in it or the subsequent swapping and changing of songs in those first 7 weeks. I am still dying to hear Andrew and Danielle sing Speaking in Tongues!! The show is now much faster paced and on Tuesday it ROCKED the house down. Vocally stunning and it looks absolutely awesome on the stage. Choreo and Book - still weak but how do you dance to Jim Steinman and the issue with the book for me is that the balance between the plot and Jim's beautiful poetry hasn't been reached. If the book was pushed more into the operatic style of broad narrative strokes pushed forward by Jim's spoken word pieces, it would be much more satisfying for me. Lord knows there is enough material. Never Stop Rocking!

26 Feb 2023, 17:25	#17
nightinr Super Loafer Join Date: 04.09.2011 Posts: 358	What is this "very special something"....Andrew Polec to return?