On Thursday Nigel Farage walked into the studio for our 7pm handover and asked: “Do you really like Meat Loaf?” I had just announced I was off to see ‘Bat out of Hell: The Musical’ with my two producers at the Dominion Theatre. “Yes,” I said.”I’ve got everything he’s ever recorded and seen him twice in concert.” Nigel seemed surprised: “I’d have never thought you’d be a Meat Loaf fan. I am too!” So we don’t just have Brexit in common.

The truth is, Meat Loaf is one of my favourite singers. Well, he was until his voice completely went, as evidenced the last time I saw him Live. Two of his songs, ‘Bat out of Hell’ and ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’ are in my all time top ten songs list. You know how I like a list!

Last year I saw the initial incarnation of ‘Bat’ at The Coliseum. I loved it. My partner John hated it. He’s difficult to please. Close your eyes and you were listening to the great man himself. The acoustics were incredible, the staging superb and the acting impressive. I had heard it, ahem, lacked a bit of a storyline, but I didn’t find that at all. Set in a somewhat dystopic future New York it centred around the relationship between a posh girl whose Daddy tries to protect her from the local gang members, one of whom, Strat, she is rather keen on. She has competition in one of the other male gang members, Tink. There’s a sub storyline about the relationship between the girl’s parents. In fact some of the best singing and acting comes from Raven’s mother.

Strat, who sings all the iconic songs can really belt them out. He may be a little Rocky Horror for some people, complete with the eye makeup. He also likes taking his top off, but hasn’t quite got the body to pull it off… But he really does have a brilliant voice and Meat Loaf himself must be very happy to be played by him - verbally at any rate.

I was a bit nervous about taking Victoria and Jagruti. They’re not from the Meat Loaf generation. Both of them knew some of the songs, but certainly not all. In the end they loved it, especially some of the high campery - and there’s a lot of that.

I’m going to admit that I didn’t enjoy the performance so much the second time around. There was nothing much different about it - the actors and singers were largely the same with a couple of exceptions - but I think it was the venue that was at fault. The acoustics in the Dominion Theatre are appalling. Either that or the speaker system just wasn’t up to it. We were in the stalls, about 10 rows back, so you’d have thought we’d have the best sound in the theatre. If we did, I pity those who were sitting elsewhere.

There are many highlights in the show. The rendition of ‘You Took the Words Out of My Mouth…’ is my personal favourite even if it’s not one of Meat Loaf’s best songs. ‘I’d do Anything For Love’ is another as is Raven’s parents getting it on on the top of a Chevvy while singing ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’.

Apropos of ‘You Took the Words Right Out of my Mouth…’ let me tell you an anecdote from my 2005 general election campaign in North Norfolk. One morning I was canvassing in the coastal village of Trimingham. I knocked on a door and a woman answered the door. She rather a lot of tattoos on her arm and chest. I went through my spiel and said something about Tony Blair. “You took the words right out of my mouth!” she exclaimed. I retorted without thinking: “It must have been while you were kissing me!” “Oh my God,” she said. “Are you a fan of Meat Loaf?” “Indeed I am,” I beamed! “Well you’ve got my vote then!” she laughed.

There are a few new songs by Jim Steinman too. Some are more successful than others. ‘What Part of My Body Hurts the Most’ is painful to watch and listen to. Nothing would be lost from it being dropped entirely. What I can’t understand is that they’ve included tat like this but not songs like ‘I’d Lie For You (And That’s The Truth)’ as well as several others which die-hard Meat Loaf fans would have expected to hear. ‘Read Em & Weep’, ‘I’m Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us’ and ‘Not a Dry In the House’ to name but three.

There is a real WTF moment towards the end, which I won’t explain here in case I spoil the surprise. My two companions absolutely roared with laughter and thought it was the campest thing they’ve ever seen in a theatre. If you’ve been, you’ll know what I’m referring to.

You don’t have to even like Meat Loaf particularly to enjoy ‘Bat’. If you do know most of the songs I guess you’ll feel the urge to sing along. Unfortunately the three people directly behind me belted out virtually every song. The man behind me, I swear, actually thought he WAS Meat Loaf. I didn’t say anything because I’m too polite, but I won’t pretend it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the whole spectacle a little.

Go. You’ll enjoy it.

‘Bat’ is playing at The Dominion until January and there is a separate production which will be touring the USA from November.