Review: Bat Out Of Hell, Edinburgh Playhouse **** – Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman’s music roars into life

As albums go, it still roars and howls with some power, and glorious over-the-topness at the ripe old age of 45 - and this musical showcases the ambitions of a songwriter who saw no distinction between rock ‘n’ roll and Wagnerian excess.

The passing of Meat Loaf so recently added a wee layer of poignancy to this tour as Bat revved up for a full-throttle two-week run at the Playhouse - a venue he once played.

In truth, it’s smashing stuff, right up there with We Will Rock You for sheer energy, a cracking soundtrack - and a story that is, in all honesty, a distant second to the music.

Think Peter Pan and you’re pretty much there as Bat Out Of Hell tells the story of a girl falling for a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, while, in a parallel story, her parents’ relationship crumbles.

There’ some vaguely defined dystopian background, plus The Lost - a tribe seemingly frozen at the age of 18, which takes us full circle to the eternal feel of rock ‘n’ roll and the salvation that only comes from the catchiest of choruses and guitar riffs.

This show stands on the power of Meat Loaf and Steinman’s epic songs, with a couple of tracks lobbed in from Bat Out of Hell II and III to wrap around the narrative which unfolds on a stage set which uses real life camera footage to beam scenes on to a giant screen, adding a real cinematic feel to it.

And, boy, it rocks.

Once the scene is set, it kick-starts with All Revved Up and takes a deep dive into Steinman’s songbook with some great performances from its leading players.

Glenn Adamson and Martha Kirby are excellent as young lovers, Strat and Raven, as they take on mighty tracks such as For Crying Out Loud.

They also played beautifully with the opening monologue from You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth, turning it into a knowing., unfiinished refrain across the show before delivering the lines to great cheers.

But, perhaps surprisingly, the title song isn’t the stand out. It was a great way to close part one, but, for me, that honour went to Paradise By The Dashboard Light brilliantly brought to life with great joy by Rob Fowler and the excellent Sharon Sexton as they relived their teenage years.

Sexton was a stand-out all night long, and they united again for a powerful What Part Of My Body Hurts The Most.

The second half certainly has more of a jukebox musical feel as the Meat factor is cranked up to the max, and as many of his classics are shoehorned in as time allows.

Everything dovetails perfectly into an epic rendition of I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That), complete with an invite to get your cameras out and film the encore of Good Girls Go To heaven.

Bat Out Of Hell rocks and it rolls - ole’ Meat and Jim will surely be be singing along heartily somewhere along the celestial highway.

> Until February 19. Tickets: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/bat-out-of-hell/edinburgh-playhouse/

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