Bat Out of Hell

About the show

In the dystopian city of Obsidian, Strat recalls his first encounter with rock and roll ("Love and Death and an American Guitar (Strat's Soliloquy)") before his DNA froze, causing him to remain eighteen forever. (In later UK productions, this scene is performed by Raven.) Strat is the leader of a group of teens who are all frozen in eternal youth - Tink, Zahara, Jagwire, Ledoux, and Valkyrie, among others - and who call themselves 'the Lost'. Strat and the Lost march in the square outside Falco Towers, home of the city's tyrannical leader of the same name, which leads to a scuffle ("All Revved Up with No Place to Go" / "Wasted Youth"). Falco's teenage daughter Raven, who has been forbidden from leaving Falco Towers, sneaks into the fray and is drawn to Strat's discarded shirt. Picking it up, her eyes meet Strat's, but she is immediately rushed back inside by her mother Sloane. Falco himself joins the fight, injuring Strat's best friend Tink; he suffers a facial injury when Ledoux breaks a bottle over his head, but manages to drive the Lost away. At Falco Towers, Falco dismisses a resentful Raven and shares his latest political plans with Sloane: he intends to propose a housing project which will revive Obsidian, but destroy the disused tunnels and subways where masses of unhoused people live, including the Lost. They lament their long-gone youth and dismiss the Lost as unimportant ("Who Needs the Young?"). Meanwhile, Raven and Strat have a brief encounter; as she dons his shirt, he briefly climbs into her room and steals a magazine with her picture on the cover. He startles her, but he ducks out as her mother enters. When Raven inquires about the origins of the Lost, Sloane explains that during a period of chemical warfare 25 years prior, the teenagers were stuck in an earthquake and exposed to a poison that froze their aging. She then gives Raven an early 18th birthday present - Falco's old biker jacket - and encourages her to be free and fall in love. The following day, 'The Lost' are gathered in their hideaway, 'the Deep End,' located in a disused subway near the 81st Street–Museum of Natural History station. Tink crashes his bicycle, then challenges Jagwire, to a fight, but is stopped by Strat, who tends Tink's wounds and tussles with him. Tink and Zahara both flirt with Strat and attempt to kiss him; he gently rebuffs Tink and asks Zahara, 'On a hot summer night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?', unsettling her. As Strat ignores Zahara's departing advice to forget about Raven, the Lost briefly discuss kidnapping her for ransom and encourage Strat to pursue her romantically ("Out of the Frying Pan And Into the Fire"). Meanwhile, outside of Falco Towers, Jagwire attempts to reestablish a prior romantic relationship with Zahara, but she cannot get over her first love and gently rejects him ("Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"). At Falco Towers, Falco and Sloane throw a party for Raven to celebrate her eighteenth birthday, much to her chagrin. Raven asks again for the freedom to explore the subways and meet the Lost, which Falco bluntly and firmly refuses. Sloane attempts to brighten the atmosphere, but is quickly pulled into a reverie of her youthful trysts with Falco, causing Raven to flee in frustration and disgust ("Paradise by the Dashboard Light"). Zahara appears in Raven's bedroom, dressed a nurse, and administers 'dream suppressant' medication to her; Falco and Sloane enter as well, to apologize and put her to bed. Strat sneaks in through the window, startling a sleeping Raven; he asks her the same question he posed to Zahara, but she is too distracted to notice it. After Raven stops a disappointed Strat from leaving, they have a heart-to-heart talk and Strat invites her to go out with him for one night ("Making Love Out of Nothing at All"). Just as they are about to give in to their desires, a frantic Zahara interrupts to warn them that Falco is coming and has already invaded the Deep End. Strat and Raven escape through her bedroom window. Strat and Raven rendezvous with Jagwire, who is quickly apprehended by Falco's militia. On Strat's motorbike, Raven has second thoughts about going with him ("Bat Out of Hell"). Halfway through the ride, Raven's fear of her father's retribution prompts her to jump off the bike and run away. After a moment of devastated reflection, Strat remounts his motorbike and zooms ahead at full speed off the Atlantic Ocean cliffs, when he 'misses' a sudden curve. His motorbike shatters and crushes him, seemingly killing him. At the start of Act Two, Falco has invaded the Deep End, captured several members of the Lost, and confined them in the prison basement of Falco Towers. As Falco gleefully tortures Jagwire, Zahara appears in her nurse outfit, holding Strat's bloodied shirt. She grimly informs Falco, Sloane, Raven, and the Lost that Strat has died; Raven breaks down and is taken away by Zahara and Sloane, leaving Falco and his militia to torture the Lost ("In the Land of the Pig, the Butcher Is King"). Raven mourns Strat's death ("Heaven Can Wait"). Below, the Lost express their shock, prompting Jagwire, Blake and Ledoux to share their pasts ("Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are"). Fed up with Falco's tyrannical behavior, Sloane sneaks into the basement and frees the Lost. (In the 2021-2022 and 2025 UK Tours, "In The Land of the Pig..." is cut. Instead, Raven accuses Falco of murdering Strat and flees; Falco is deliberately vague with Sloane when she asks him whether he was truly responsible. "Heaven Can Wait" is then sung by Raven. "Objects..." is then sung in the Deep End between Jagwire, Valkyrie, and Ledoux.) After drawing a pint of blood from Raven, Zahara revives her and convinces her to leave together; a hitherto unseen Tink emerges from hiding and destroys Raven's belongings. Zahara takes Raven to a safe area where she and Tink have been secretly looking after Strat, who has miraculously survived. She transfuses Raven's blood into Strat, enabling him to become mobile again, and he stumbles down from the rocks reciting poetry ("Teenager In Love"). Raven is shocked and overjoyed to see Strat and attempts to thank Tink for saving him, but he rebuffs her. Zahara leaves with a reluctant Tink in tow, while Strat and Raven have a heartfelt reunion ("For Crying Out Loud"). The next day, Zahara returns to Falco Towers for Raven's belongings; she is confronted by Falco, who demands that she reveal Raven's location. She denies knowing where Raven is, but Falco reveals that he knows that she is actually one of the Lost. Sloane's attempts to defend Zahara provoke a confrontation in which Falco shoves and almost strikes Sloane, but Zahara fires two warning shots with her gun; Sloane declares that she is ending their marriage, and she leaves with Zahara. At the museum, Strat once again asks Raven, 'On a hot summer's night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?' Raven responds to his words and happily agrees to become his, as the Lost joyously welcome him 'back from the dead' ("You Took the Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)"). A mock-wedding is held, where the Lost dress Strat in a ruffled shirt with a sparkly silver jacket, and Raven in a white dress with a bouquet. Sloane accepts Strat as Raven's partner. Raven throws the bouquet over her shoulder - this is caught by Zahara, who is overwhelmed, so she throws it again - where it is caught by a woman of the Lost, who gets down on one knee and proposes to Sloane. After the 'wedding', Strat and Raven go to the Dunes, where Raven reveals she is now able to dream for the first time, and they attempt to consummate their relationship. They are soon interrupted by a jealous Tink, who urges Strat to send Raven back to Falco. After a heated argument, Tink vows to get rid of Raven and laments his unrequited love for Strat ("Not Allowed to Love"). At Falco Towers, Falco unsuccessfully tries to dissuade Sloane from leaving him, and he is left alone to reflect on his actions ("What Part of My Body Hurts the Most"). He is later visited by Tink, who offers him a deal: he will take him to where Raven is, in exchange that no one gets hurt and that he will leave the Lost alone after he gets Raven back. Falco becomes convinced and he agrees to the deal while amused by Tink's betrayal. In the Deep End, the Lost celebrate the union between Strat and Raven while Jagwire serenades Zahara ("Dead Ringer For Love"). Their celebration is interrupted when Falco bursts in through the wall with his militia and Tink. He orders the Lost to return Raven to him in exchange for peace. Everyone resists and a scuffle ensues, which abruptly ends when Falco accidentally shoots Tink. Overwhelmed with shock and anger, Strat dismisses Raven, prompting her to flee in heartbreak. Weak from blood loss, Tink apologizes and Strat forgives him, telling him that he will always be his best friend and soulmate. Tink dies in Strat's arms and the Lost hold a funeral for him ("Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through"). Meanwhile, Raven is left with no choice but to return home to Falco Towers, where she furiously blames her father for ruining everything. (In the 2021-2022 and 2025 UK Tours, Tink survives his injuries.) Six months later, Sloane is wandering through the city, rhapsodizing about her failures to recapture her youth. In Falco Towers, Strat finds Raven, who has been secluding herself in her room. He apologizes for spurning her; they reaffirm their love for one another as Sloane makes her return to Falco ("It's All Coming Back to Me Now"). Raven suddenly has second thoughts about their relationship; she worries about the fact that she will age normally while he stays young forever. Strat tells Raven that she will always be eighteen in his eyes, and he will always love her no matter what.