Total Eclipse

London Coliseum

A couple of hours of iconic music by Jim Steinman, performed by a wonderful cast of West End stars. It was a long couple of hours...

As this was a one-off concert, I feel it is unfair to give a star rating. It was only on for a day, and if there were any teething issues, once that one performance is done, the run is finished. This review will be a brief overview of the experience.

This concert was in memory of Jim Steinman and the incredible writing he did. Whilst his work is beautiful, this concert did not seem to hit the audience as it should have. Having a concert set up in such a traditional, iconic theatre was awkward. As an audience member, you were constantly sitting, wondering whether our theatre etiquette rules could be broken, and feeling unsure if it was appropriate to throw yourself into the concert vibe... but no one else around you is doing the same. There was such a mix of energy in the choices of songs and a lack of direction for the performers, but also in terms of where the show was going next. So much so that when the lights came up for the interval, there was such a heavy sense of confusion as to what was going on. A very interesting concert indeed, on the website it said the concert was to run for three hours, but this was not the case. Though I don't think any show should be that long... it is confusing when you set yourself up for your long musical journey.

Glenn Adamson, 'Bat Out of Hell' star, was the diamond of this show and was the only performer who seemed to bring energy and engage with the audience. His performance felt more natural in the concert setting; it was clear that the audience would have appreciated more of him, especially in some of the bigger Steinman songs. Another standout was the West End legend Zoe Birkett; she had such a joyful energy about her and would put so much into her performances, it was lovely to watch. Going from song to song at the start, the previous person would introduce who was next, but this stopped after 2/3 songs and the previous person would finish their song, walk off, and then there would be this deafening silence of what was coming next. It made the energy drop, and the audience was more confused than excited. As it was a concert in memory of the legendary Mr Steinman, it would have helped to have some dialogue about the choices of songs, the history and some stories. This would have helped the audience members who had come along with partners or tagged along with friends to have a gateway to the marvel. The performers took their songs and made something beautiful, but the mix of West End into a concert vibe, sadly, did not translate very well. Other than with Glenn Adamson's performances, he can work a crowd very well.

Whilst the cast were mostly extremely talented, the performance just doesn't feel right in such a traditional theatre, especially when the tone and etiquette are not set to the audience at any point. There were moments that were brilliant that could have stayed brilliant if the energy had been maintained, and there was a flow from song to song. I'm grateful to have seen songs I've longed to see live on their feet and performed by some brilliant performers, but there was such a sense of holding back and awkwardness; the performers deserved a bit more direction to make their performances less confusing. They can make something magical, and it didn't feel like there was enough time to embellish the content of the show. There were so many gaps that needed filling and more love for Jim Steinman's work. The concert setting could work well; it just needs more flow. All in all, it is always a pleasure to appreciate a legend's hard work!