Anyone seen this? A local theatre group has mounted a production and some friends and I went last night. The titular Bat Boy is based on the Weekly World News headliner. I’d heard the first song from the (I think) London cast recording and knew I had to see it. Pretty darned entertaining.
I think “pretty darned entertaining” sums it up. I just let go of the critical part of my brain and had a lot of fun.
I saw a production here in DC a few years ago. I love the music, particularly the opening number, “Hold Me, Bat Boy” and “Joyful Noise.”
Saw a production at Theatre Three in Dallas. I thought it was very entertaining. The older couple in front of us hated it. I’m not sure what they expected but they were incredibly vocal about how good a time they weren’t having. They left at intermission, which, considering the second half of the musical, was probably for the best.
Portland Center Stage put it on two or three years ago. It was a good, lively, trashy, ridiculous show. And the music’s fun.
I saw it at the Shaftsbury in London. It’s a good, fun musical. The first half maintains some veneer of seriousness, raising themes about tolerance – but in the second half, that’s all forgotten as the musical descends into pure comedy. The scene where Batboy and his paramour escape into the woods and are serenanded by the forest king is particularly funny.
Hey Otto, I went the same night. My friend didn’t want to go when I was in London, so I got lucky and it’s showing here and my friends here have a lower class of humour. I thought it was pretty good. I couldn’t catch some of the lyrics, some of the music drowned it out. The scene with BatBoy and the girl in the forest was hilarious. Here they had the cast holding and dancing wtih animals from a taxidermy, and the racoon had a box of crackerjack in it’s hands. I wanna get the soundtrack now.
Love your BatBoy.
Another fan here. Balls-to-the-wall silliness from start to stop. I felt a bit let down by the story of Batboy’s origins, though; I think he works better if his creation is a bit mysterious.
I’ve also seen it. It was a long time ago though so I don’t remember any of the songs.
Seen it twice, and I loved it. I was surprised how good the music was, too.
Agree that the first song, “Hold Me Bat Boy,” is the best. It’s what inspired me to go. Apparently I’d seen Bat Boy perform in Clue: The Musical but didn’t recognize him through the make up.
Wow, to think I was in the presence of a fellow Dopeisonian and didn’t even realize. Should’ve started the thread before I went.
I music directed a production of Bat Boy a year ago. It immediately became one of my all-time favorite shows. Great music (Three Bedroom House and Comfort and Joy are probably my favorites), a funny and bizarre cast of characters, and a story that is typical in many ways while being truly weird in others.