I tend to measure the power of a musical by how often I get goosebumps during the big numbers. And during Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical? I lost count.
If you’re a Meat Loaf fan in Wycombe this week, run, don’t walk, to the Swan. And if you’re not a Meat Loaf fan? Go anyway. This isn’t just a jukebox tribute. It’s a full-throttle, high-octane rock opera with a wild, dystopian love story, a heart-thumping 8-piece live band, jaw-dropping vocals, and visuals that’ll leave your jaw on the floor.
We were kindly invited to the opening night by Wycombe Swan, and what a night it was.
The Story
Think Romeo and Juliet meets Peter Pan, set in a post-apocalyptic future. Raven is the rebellious daughter of Falco, the tyrannical ruler of Obsidian. Strat is the eternally teenage leader of The Lost, a tribe who live underground after their DNA was frozen in a chemical catastrophe.
Their forbidden love sparks chaos above and below ground. There’s clashing ideologies, parental control, loyalty, loss, and freedom — all played out against a backdrop of broken cities, blazing guitars and big feelings. It’s the kind of story that was made for rock and roll.
The story follows the young lovers from their first meeting, and shows how it affects both sides — the dynamics of The Lost as well as Raven’s family with her overprotective father and Sloane, her mother, who wants her to embrace freedom and fall in love.
The Music
Jim Steinman’s legendary score is the heartbeat of this show — and in this production, it pulses. There’s raw energy, operatic drama, and so many powerhouse performances that the theatre practically vibrates.
Highlights?
🎤 Paradise by the Dashboard Light — Rob Fowler (Falco) and Sharon Sexton (Sloane) deliver a showstopper, part comedy sketch, part vocal masterclass, performed on (and around) a car in the middle of the stage. Utter chaos. Utter brilliance.
🎸 Bat Out Of Hell — Closing Act 1 with blazing lights, revving bikes and Luke Street’s explosive performance as Strat. Vocals, presence, swagger… he nails it.
💔 Heaven Can Wait, Dead Ringer for Love, You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth — each track showcases a different side of the cast, with special mention to Georgia Bradshaw (Zahara) and Ryan Carter (Jagwire), who are electric together.
🎶 It’s All Coming Back to Me Now and I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) — a breathtaking final stretch. Huge emotions. No one in that auditorium wanted it to end.
The Set
This show doesn’t just sound epic — it looks it too.
The stage is a multi-level wonder: gritty tunnels down below, Raven’s high-rise bedroom above, the band towering above them all. Massive screens bring it to life — sometimes with visuals, sometimes with live video footage filmed on-stage by a roaming cameraman. One minute you’re watching the action unfold up close on screen, the next you’re in a full-on rock concert. It’s wild and weird — pure spectacle.
Paradise by the Dashboard Light, for instance, gets a full music video treatment — cutting between the car, the stage, and some hilariously timed baseball footage. The result? A full sensory overload in the best possible way.
The Verdict
What a show. High energy, non-stop action, and just incredible live music and vocals. One of those rare productions where I didn’t want it to end. Bring out the back catalogue!
A full throttle night out that demands to be seen (and heard).
Highly recommend — make sure you catch it before it goes!
📍Wycombe Swan
🗓️ Running until Saturday 26th July
🕰️ 7.30pm, plus 2.30pm matinees on Thursday and Saturday
🎟️ £15-60
👉 Book here
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