Vampires Rock: Ghost Train
Steve Steinman Productions
The Embassy Theatre, Skegness
29 April 2023
Last year, I went to Skegness Embassy to review Steve Steinman's show Anything For Love which features the hits of Meatloaf. I had missed the fact that he was performing his other show Vampires Rock: Ghost Train at the same venue the night before and was determined to ensure that this year I saw and reviewed the partner show. Despite feeling exceedingly rough with a burning sore throat, I set off to Skegness determined to witness this gothic rock spectacle for myself.
Steve Steinman is an extremely talented vocalist and musician in his own right. He knows how to work a crowd and has an incredibly likeable and charismatic on-stage persona, that his audience has taken to their hearts. After thirty years touring with his Meatloaf tribute show and twenty years of Vampires Rock, Steinman knows what he is doing. This cheeky Yorkshireman has the gift of the gab and doesn't take is "stardom" too seriously, although he does not take his craft lightly.
Unlike Anything For Love, Vampires Rock is a jukebox musical featuring a full-cast, over twenty-five instantly recognisable rock anthems and some original compositions throughout. I knew the show would tell a story, but was not expecting it to be such a campy, tongue in cheek affair. As Steinman himself said during the show, "This isn't panto... it's not far off though". Everyone involved was clearly having such a blast and the audience loved them all the more for it.
The show is played completely for laughs and really only lacks a dame in role during the show. Pretty much all the other elements are there. It is only the music that is not played for laughs. The music is treated with respect and reverence as the cast understands not to mess with the audience's expectations.
The story, as threadbare as it is, presents us with vampire overlord Baron Von Rockula, seeking a new bride to replace the incumbent Vampire Queen. He is aided and abetted by his manservant Bosley the Janitor who finds the sweet "innocent" and virginal Roxy Honey-Box. He is pursued by his nemesis Van Halensing replete in long leather coat, cowboy hat and a full-face skull mask.
Van Halensing, like Von Rockula, is out for blood. He is after the Baron's, and the Baron is after Roxy's. Meanwhile, the Vampire Queen and her two gorgeous vampire handmaidens are trying to overcome the existential threat to their very existence and to thwart the Baron's plans to remarry.
As I say, the plot is thin and pretty much inconsequential, it is a platform upon which to hang a reason to perform a series of explosive powerful rock amidst some cheesy gags and end of the pier humour, peppered with some adult language not suitable for minors.
The audience are all in on the joke and they totally understand where Steinman is coming from with this show and they shout and sing and fire back at his banter, giving as good as they get. This is one musical where it is expected that the audience will help to belt out the songs along with the cast and have a "bloody" good time doing so. Nobody will be writing to The Guardian to complain here.
The musicianship on display is superb, it's so good that it is almost taken for granted as the accompanying, soaring vocals of the lead cast members take us through hit after hit such as Highway To Hell, Sweet Child of Mine, Holding Out For a Hero, I Believe in a Thing Called Love and Bat Out of Hell. So many hits that I am still trying to process the songlist the next day and smiling remembering different moments in the show.
Sadly, the performers were not name-checked during the show so I apologise if I get anyone wrong. The two lead guitarists, James Marsh and Dan Stevens were exceptional, shredding riffs and powering through the show. The rhythm was powered by pouding drums and Joe Brierly on bass. The keyboard player resplendent in steampunk top hat and goggles, provided the layers of backing necessary to embellish the orchestral nature of many of the arrangements and the Vampire Queen was played by Trixabelle Bold. Steve Steinman played the Baron, and John Evans was Bosley.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the names of the other actors playing Roxy and the two voluptuous, vampire maidens not of whom worked tirelessly dancing throughout, always moving and providing a stunning visual accompaniment to the music.
This show truly understands what it is. It is a great excuse to rock out and have fun, whilst displaying great theatricality and interacting with an exuberant audience. It is a guaranteed great night out and it is easy to see why it is now in it's twentieth year and shows no sign of slowing down.
In the brochure, I notice that Steinman is advertising a new musical featuring his own original music called Eternal Love and based on music from his No1 debut album, Take a Leap of Faith. If his two shows I have seen to date are anything to go by, I can't wait to see what he does with this next project, and will be keen to watch and review that one too. Sign me up for it now!
Andy Evans 30 April 2023.