Review: Bat Out of Hell at The Regent Theatre in Hanley*

[Ad-gifted] Bat Out of Hell is a musical featuring the best of the artist Meat Loaf’s talent. No, it’s more than that: it’s the award-winning hit musical penned by Jim Steinman who wrote Meat Loaf’s greatest hits and I had the chance to watch it last night at The Regent Theatre in Hanley.

Meat Loaf (real name Marvin Lee Aday – changed by deed poll to Michael… now there’s a pub quiz question for you) was born and raised in Texas, America. Known for his amazing vocal talent and his powerful rock ballads (dare I call them that?), Meat Loaf has fans across the world who continue to enjoy his music after his death in 2022.

Bat Out of Hell The Musical – was written by Jim Steinman, the singer-songwriter who also penned the eponymous albums. It is based on a story about two young people, Strat and Raven, who meet on Raven’s 18^th birthday. Strat comes from a gang of mutant subway-dwelling kids and Raven is the cosseted daughter of overbearing parents. Raven meets Strat, they fall in love, and of course adversity gets in their way in the form of Falco, the typical over-protective dad, and Tink – the smallest of the subway gang – who quite fancies Strat herself.

What I thought about Bat Out Of Hell

When we arrived at the theatre we were greeted by a collection of motorcycles that had been lined up by their owners on display down Pall Mall. It’s always nice when people go the extra mile and these enthusiasts added a bit of va-va-voom as we lined up to have our tickets checked.

I admit that I am not a big Meat Loaf fan – but I took along a friend with me who definitely is! Tonight’s performance was executed by an eight-piece band and a dazzling cast of talented and acrobatic dancers/singers.

The stage was set up with the band playing directly above the ‘subway’, and Raven’s bedroom placed to the side. The combination of these elements worked beautifully, with the bedroom scenes being streamed onto two large screens by a camera operative on set.

The Regent Theatre is the home of entertainment in style, and show after show, it doesn’t disappoint. To start with, the costumery was really nicely coordinated. There was a perfect mix of ‘subway rags’ and rockstar glamour glitter, backed up by some fabulous special effects (watch out for the gunshots – some of the audience nearly jumped out of their skins!).

Raven and Strat, our leading talent, were fantastic in their roles. Kate Tonkinson’s voice (Raven) was just beautiful. The whole cast were bouncing with energy and they charged through the boiling hot evening with flawless choreography. We had 29-degree heat today and everybody was melting, but it didn’t slow them down.

Raven’s parents, Falco and Sloane (Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton) were masters of their craft in playing their almost villainous parental roles yet bringing the audience right round to their side with their heartfelt duet. Glen Adamson (Strat) never seemed to stand still – and his harmonies with Kate (Raven) were sublime, and Carla Bertran made a hilarious, annoying and lovable Tink.

We absolutely loved the show. This ensemble made every song unforgettable and had us on our feet before they had lined up for the curtain call.  I will say that whether or not you are a Meat Loaf fan, you will be delighted with this show. For me it was musical theatre at its best – perfectly paced, perfectly played and very satisfying to watch.

For the stage musical, the legendary and award-winning Jim Steinman incorporated iconic songs from the Bat Out of Hell albums, including You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, Bat Out of Hell, I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, as well as the previously unreleased song What Part of My Body Hurts the Most.

Cast of Bat Out of Hell

Glen Adamson – Strat
Kate Tonkinson – Raven
Rob Fowler – Falco
Sharon Sexton – Sloane
Georgia Bradshaw – Zahara
Ryan Carter – Jagwire (Played by Ethan Tanner on Press night)
Carla Bertran – Tink
Luke Street – Ledoux/Alternate Strat
Carly Burns – Valkyrie
Leo Abad – Denim
Peter Camilleri – O’Dessasuite
Joshua Dever – Hoffman/Alternate Falco
Reece Duncan – Esuivel (Swing)/Alternate Ledoux
Georgia Holland – Goddesilla (Swing)
Georgia Iudica-Davies – Liebeshwoosh

Creatives 

Book, Music & Lyrics–Jim Steinman
Director–Jay Scheib
Musical Supervisor & Additional Arrangements–Michael Reed
Additional Choreography–Xena Gusthart
Set & Costume Designer–Jon Bausor
Video Designer–Finn Ross
Lighting Designer–Patrick Woodroffe
Sound Designer–Gareth Owen
Original Casting Director–David Grindrod
UK Tour Casting Director–Anne Vosser
Orchestrator–Steve Sidwell
Original Wigs Designer–Linda McKnight
Musical Director–Iestyn Griffiths
Associate Set Designer–Tina Torbey
UK Tour Lighting Designer–Rob Casey
Associate Video Designer–Dan Light
UK Tour Sound Designer–Matt Peploe
Costume Supervisor–Jennie Quirk
Wigs Supervisor–Suzy Barrett
Produced by–Michael Cohl, Tony Smith & David Sonenberg
Executive Producer–Julian Stoneman

How much are the tickets?

Tickets are priced from £15 to £90. For Groups (10 or more), call their dedicated Groups team on 020 7206 1174 or email groupsales@atgtickets.com. A transaction charge applies to online/phone bookings. Warning – Gun shots.

How do I book tickets to watch Bat Out of Hell?

Tickets are now on sale online by visiting ATG’s website here. Age guidance: Recommended for ages 13+ due to strong language and scenes of a sexual nature

How long is the show for and what are the timings?

The show will be running until Saturday, 5 July 2025. The show runs for 2 hours and 40 minutes including interval at 7.30pm everyday with matinee shows at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday.

About Regent Theatre

The Regent Theatre is a theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Constructed in 1929 as a cinema, it is one of several theatres in the city centre and one of two owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group. The building was converted for full-time use as a theatre in 1999, and since then has hosted a number of shows and musicals. The theatre is also the northern base for the Glyndebourne Touring Opera.

Tips / Information

Photo Credit: Regent Theatre/Mark Senior

* We were provided with press tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions are our own.