Congratulations to Theatre and English undergraduate Lucy Hunt who is the overall Winner in this year’s English writing prize at Brunel University London.

Read on for Lucy’s guest blog:

I would do anything to watch Bat Out of Hell again (and I would do that!)

by Lucy Hunt

It is safe to say I was a ‘bat out of hell’ when tickets went on sale for Jim Steinman’s award-winning musical at the Dominion Theatre earlier this year. If the large, fiery motorbike towering over the entrance isn’t enough of a hint, this musical is loud, excessive, and it’s batshit crazy!

Since its opening, Bat Out of Hell has received divided opinion due to its lack of conformity to a typical musical – instead, it seems more like a fairy-tale being held hostage by a rock concert. It centres on Strat, the forever eighteen-year-old leader of a group of mutants called “The Lost” whose DNA froze during a chemical war, causing them to stay young for ever. Raven, who later becomes Strat’s love interest, is locked away in her room by her father Falco, the ruler of the dystopian land of Obsidian. If Peter Pan and Rapunzel didn’t just pop into your head, you will probably be amongst the confused half of critics who don’t understand the unusual yet captivating style this musical takes on.

The jarred storyline is matched by the equally jarred yet extraordinary cinematography that director Jay Scheib brings to the musical. Throughout certain scenes of the show, cameramen are on stage and the actors perform to the camera rather than the audience. As the video is projected across the backdrop, so much is going on in all parts of the stage. It is this futuristic style that makes this musical so different but refreshing for the theatre industry. It brings the advantages of the cinema into the theatre, exploiting the strengths of both movie-making and theatre to create an explosive masterpiece.

It would be wrong to write a musical review without picking up on the vocals, especially in BOOH. It is no secret Meatloaf’s songs are hard to sing, especially when having to jump around and act at the same time. But the cast of Bat Out of Hell deliver no faults. No matter the opinion on the musical, every critic has praised the talents of the entire cast. Andrew Polec deserves particular praise as he tackles eight belting tunes, such as “I would do anything for love”, each night and leaves the audience roaring with applause. But Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton, who play Raven’s parents, steal the show with an electric duet of “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”. These songs that are known to be individually ludicrous and comical, surprisingly appear to come together and make sense.

As a jukebox musical would do, BOOH will attract people who may never have been to the theatre, or people who have never heard of Meatloaf’s songs. Either way, this musical provides a fun, jolted experience that makes you so unsure, but at the same time love what you’re watching. It has something for everyone – from comedic moments, to epic ballads; from a Romeo and Juliet vibe, to songs that make you want to get up and sing at the top of your lungs (but it is theatre etiquette not to!).

Lucy Hunt is a Brunel Theatre and English student, from Northampton, who spends most of her money on musicals and Disneyland trips. Her biggest achievement is being away from her cat this long whilst at University, and aspires to do anything in life that permits her to break into song and dance in the middle of the street.