Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock: Eternal Love – The Musical
Darlington Hippodrome | 24th April 2025
Invited| Review by Stephen Stokoe
It is difficult to know where to start with the experience that was Eternal Love at Darlington Hippodrome last evening. There is a quote on the front of the beautifully glossy official brochure which announces the show to be ‘Fantastic, sexy and very funny’ but I feel that it misses out the more glaringly obvious ‘wacky, zany and utterly bonkers.’
Steve Steinman is of course the man in charge of the production as he is credited as no less than writer, director, producer and set designer and his vision is quite something. The set is comprised of two levels in gothic horror splendour. It is a thing of absolute beauty which is helped along by some very impressive graphic design and video work by Mat Bentley and Luke Wade which drive the story along to a glorious finale.
About the story. Well I do not think Mr Steinman will be too cross with me when I say that it is not going to be nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for drama any time soon but that is not what this tongue in cheek and thoroughly entertaining production is primarily about. As the third instalment of the trilogy involving Steinman as vampire Baron Von Rockula, he has returned to where it all began in search of his one true love, the sexy temptress, Pandora. Finding that modern life has changed in his absence, he is mortified to see the state of his ancestral home which, his manservant, Bosley (John Evans) states, is very lucky not to have been turned into a Wetherspoons. There are a plethora of pop culture references and nods to the rock gods of days gone by and the present peppered throughout the script and the dynamic between Steinman and Evans is hilarious from the start to the stomping finale which inevitably had everyone on their feet.
As I said, this show is not about the script, it is about Steinman’s music and supported by a superb rock band, the cast belt out track after track of rock ballads, anthems and duets none of which would sound out of place in the charts. I particularly liked Never Leave a Lover and There’s Something About the Night About You which were both unashamed metaphorical love letter to the legendary song writing team of Meatloaf and Jim Steinman.
To pull off this production Steinman enlists the musical and vocal talents of some heavyweight performers and musicians. I will start with the band comprised of three guitarists, Dan Stevens, Jamie Hiscox and Joe Brierly all thoroughly enjoying themselves high above the stage, piano and keyboards were tickled, pounded and generally abused by Harry Garbutt and providing superb rhythm on percussion was the tireless Pete Jean.
Providing the love interest to the bloodthirsty baron is Xena Rock-Heart (Claire Zamore) who beautifully held her own in several duets with Steinman. Her innocence at the start transfoms into vamp rock beauty in the second act. Tanyth Roberts showed some impressive vocal magnitude in the role of usurped former favourite, Medusa with Drusilla (Olivia Doherty-Marks), Ursula (Victoria Farley), and Elivria (Amy Jackson) adding lead and backing vocals and some female rock glamour to the proceedings.
Steinman is obviously a very talented and knowledgeable showman. He draws into his understanding of musical theatre and his love of all things rock and roll to present a little bit of something across these two seemingly disparate art forms. There are some not so subtle hints to The Rocky Horror Show and Grease for the musical theatre lot and more than just the style of some rock legends in the soundtrack that any rock music fan could ever want. The comedy of the piece is skilfully seasoned throughout the production. The fourth wall is regularly shattered, especially by Steinman and Evans which adds to the warmth of the piece and draws in the audience. The cast were even on hand after what must have been an exhausting show to sign memorabilia and chat to the audience in the foyer at the end.
Steve Steinman will be back at Darlington Hippodrome later in the year with both of his other touring shows ‘Anything for Love’ and ‘Love Hurts’ and if this evening was anything to go by will be equally as entertaining.
Tonight was my first experience of the Vampire Rocks trilogy and I am very sure that it will not be the last. A great fun night out that does not take itself at all seriously but in terms of showmanship, performance and musical talent, delivers by the coffin-load.