Ringer's all revved up for right Regal finale

IT'S meaty, it's beaty, it's big and it's bouncy – but after Friday it will be no more. Cornwall's own Meatloaf rock opera, which has been touring the UK for the past three years, will bow out in style on home ground this week, playing its finale performance at Redruth's Regal Theatre.

Having travelled all over the UK, across Ireland and the Channel Islands, the cast and crew of Dead Ringer From Hell have decided to call it a day.

The show's founder, Jerry Hollis, who plays the Meatloaf character, says he has gone as far as he can with the project and is now eager to pursue other artistic ventures.

Jerry, who lives in Illogan but is originally from New York, says he is extremely proud of what he and his wife Elaine have achieved.

"We put together a travelling rock show that has toured all around the country and played some of the best venues in the UK – and we did it all from Cornwall with people from Cornwall and we did it off of our own backs without funding from anyone," said Jerry.

He stresses that Dead Ringer From Hell is not a Meatloaf tribute but is a Meatloaf-inspired rock opera.

"The concept was born out of Meatloaf's practice of creating characters and situations in his mind for each song that he sings. However, unlike Meatloaf's mini-story for each song, The Dead Ringer From Hell is one story centred on all the songs.

"As well as having a full band, the show uses real Harley Davidson motorcycles on stage and features music by The Rolling Stones, Patti Smith, Pat Benatar, Pink Floyd, Tammy Wynette, Linda Ronstadt and Elvis Presley.

"It's a family friendly show and it is very funny – and yet the music ensures that rock purists will not be disappointed. The music is the first priority and we guarantee that it will be loud, proud, and rock."

Jerry, who has been in the music business for two decades and has done everything from opening for Nirvana to singing backing vocals for Nine Inch Nails on their Downward Spiral album, also fronted the influential New York band, New Life Crisis.

Jerry is joined on stage by The Dead Bettys female backing group, comprising well-known Redruth singers Helen Hartshorne, Celia Brown and Cei Morgans.

"The cast and crew were determined to do the last performance of the show in their home town of Redruth," said Jerry. "It would really mean a lot to have another sell-out to round it off. They've really worked hard to keep the show going, and closing with a bang would be a fitting end to something that started off as an idea in the car coming home from a gig."

At the beginning of the farewell tour, Jerry explained how the show came about.

"I did a lot of research into Meatloaf and watched a documentary about how Bat Out Of Hell was made and discovered that he thinks of himself as an opera singer and an actor who is simply playing a character. The show – originally called Dead Ringer From Hell – began by using the libretto from the original, which is a story of teenagers meeting up, falling in love, breaking up, having big dreams."

He and Elaine put all their savings and a bank loan into setting up a production company. With a four-piece band and the Dead Bettys backing singers, Jerry said audiences across the UK and Ireland have enjoyed the experience.

"Some like the show purely for the music, while others enjoy the spectacle, the humour and the spoof element," he said. "What we offer audiences is a great show and a great night out. Guys can come along safe in the knowledge that it isn't Mamma Mia! It's funny and tragic and it's a dopey story, but certainly no more dopey than The Magic Flute."

Dead Ringer From Hell is at the Regal in Redruth on Friday at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced £15. Box office: 01209 842589 or 07976 057709.