Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom is a rock musical directed by Steve Steinman the creator of Vampires Rock and the Meat Loaf Trilogy/Symphony. We saw Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom at the Skegness Embassy Theatre April 2010, our tickets cost £15.50 for adult tickets and £11 for children’s (concession) tickets.
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom is a quirky rock musical with it’s own music/songs, unlike Vampires Rock that performs songs from famous rock bands like Bon Jovi, Guns and Roses, Queen etc… Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom music is totally original which means you probably won’t recognise any of it.
The music kept you interested and was fun with the band The Lost Boys rocking out on stage. I particularly liked the newest female band member who could play a mean flute and a saxophone.
Bad Boy Johnny is originally an Australian musical that featured a young Russell Crow as the lead Johnny, it’s the first time it has been in the UK and it’s been produced by Steve Steinman producer of the Meat Loaf Trilogy and Vampires Rock.
I am a huge fan of Vampires Rock, but Bad Boy Johnny didn’t have the same flare 
I don’t know what it was, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but as I watched the show I felt like there was something missing from Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom, which since I’m a fan of Vampires Rock it left me feeling slightly guilty for not enjoying it as much as I wanted to
I don’t know if it was down to the show being it’s first ever tour, but there was definitely elements that wasn’t working and as I looked around at the theatre many in the audience felt it to, with people not bothering to clap when they should, which is unusual for this type of fun musical theatre show.
The story of Bad Boy Johnny was patchy and hard to follow, it felt like a drunk Englishman had written it and was experiencing regular blackout’s! Half of the time I couldn’t work out who was who and what was going on, the story jumped so many times it was like an old vinyl record on a bumpy road. I’m still not sure about the story line, after leaving the theatre I was talking to my hubby and he had a totally different idea of what the story was about to my take on Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom, so he was as confused and in the dark as much as I was!
The story goes (I think) that Johnny who is a choir boy in a church is turned bad (though Johnny wasn’t bad, more dumb) by the corrupt/evil priest. Along the way to fame Johnny gets the opportunity to become Pope by a sort of X-factor talent show.
Now when I read the short info I had on the story online before purchasing our tickets, I assumed that the evil priest would be the Devil (or the Devil would be involved) who corrupts poor sweet choir boy Johnny and turns him to evil, a fantasy story line that would have Devils and beasties in the show, but it turns out the evil is in the human element of sex, prostitution and rape!
Bad Boy Johnny is a musical comedy, so it’s not like it’s so depraved that it’s something men watch in trench coat, but it was advertised as child friendly and anything that throws around the word rape isn’t something some parents want their young kids to hear on a fun night out.
There’s a few raunchy scenes of seductive dancing and at one point, one of the women takes off her clothes to reveal sexy underwear: bra, thong and suspenders, the type of lingerie a newly wed would wear on their wedding night.
The story could make parents of young kids feel uncomfortable, it will probably fly over the heads of the kids themselves though. Our son was old enough to see it. It’s not a traditional family show, but it’s not as bad as some stuff on TV before the water shed, so I guess it depends on the child, our 13 year old son was fine with it.
It was nice to see some new faces in Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom. Dawn Spence who played Johnny’s Mum had a great voice, the guy who played the game show host also had a great voice and some great moves, one of the dancers who was used as a backup singer was brilliant, she usually backed up Emily Clark who played Johnny’s girlfriend Desire, I think she had red hair (not sure, I was at the back of the 1,200+ seat Embassy theatre). It’s a shame Steve didn’t give her a shot at a lead role, her voice was great and really nice to listen to.
The acting was something to be desired since the cast was mostly made up of the dancers and musicians that perform in Steve Steinmens other shows and most of them wasn’t talented at acting. It was nice to hear the dancers talk instead of just being eye candy, but they did struggle at pulling of a professional performance and this might have been one of the main reasons I didn’t warm to Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom.
Whoever is Steve’s choreographer needs sacking since the dance moves the girls were doing was the same ones used in Vampires Rock! Someone needs to tell them there’s more dance moves in the world than the four most popular moves you get from strippers in a sleazy bar. Really sloppy
The show for me lacked audience participation which is key to a successful fun musical show like Bad Boy Johnny IMHO.
The only members in the audience who got to join in was from Henry Birds small fan club (about half a dozen of them) who had probably seen Bad Boy Johnny many times and they knew when to shout out panto style, but for the rest of the crowd it was a sit down and shut up gig. There was a little clapping along to one or two of the songs, but there was a lack of enthusiasm from the cast to encourage the audience to get involved.
The rock music was OK though not memorable and didn’t hit the mark like classic songs in popular musicals like Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat or The Wizard of Oz where you hear them once and they become instantly memorable.
The comedy was great and Steve Steinman who played Father Maclean was his usual talented self, pulling off the pantomime like comedy with ease, but there wasn’t enough of it.
There was some nice pieces of comedy and performances that were good. Henry Bird is of course a very talented musician and great singer and played Johnny quiet well. We liked the Elvis Pope.
At the performance in Skegness it was the last night of the UK tour and the crew played a prank on Steve and Henry which was the moment of the night. Steve’s driver had got in a coffin (the coffin was part of the show) and when Steve opened the casket it scared him half to death to see his bald driver in the stage prop, which meant a fun momentary lapse in the story and lots of great gags 
The ending was a nice touch when the stairs swallows up Father Maclean and flames appeared from beneath and was a nice touch to indicate Father Maclean’s demise to hell.
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom is OK, not a bad musical to go and watch once. It’s got some laughs and the music alright and would recommend if there’s nothing on the box that evening (it’s better than doing nothing). However, there was nothing memorable about the show which is a huge shame since I do like Vampires Rock. I’ve become accustomed to the cast over the last few years and they have a place in my heart, but their production of Bad Boy Johnny and the prophets of Doom didn’t move me in anyway.
It’s been difficult to write this review giving my honest opinion of Bad Boy Johnny, maybe it might get better over time, but I wasn’t that bothered about the show, left me feeling nothing but confused
The laughs and the music isn’t enough to get me to go and see Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom again at the theatre I’m afraid.
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom Rating
Would We Go Again : No
Would We Recommend To Others: hmmm! No
Was It Value For Money: No
Recommended For: Everyone (Warning some adult themes, which individual parents may feel uncomfortable about their young children seeing)
Star Rating 5/10.
5 responses to Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom Musical Review
Just come across this review. I can’t believe the reviewer above attended the same show as me. Bad Boy Johnny proved to be a refreshingly original entertainment, half rock gig, half story. The plot was easy to follow (and be swept away by) and as for the one mention of the word ‘rape’, good grief kids hear and see far worse than this on tv soaps. And given it was the priest (Father Maclean) who this was addressed to, one can only wonder how the author of this 20 year old Australian show so acurately predicted the current scandals engulfing the Catholic Church! My feeling was that Mr Steinman didn’t do full justice to this work. Sure his band played the terrific songs well and his cast were adequate, if sometimes a little out of their depth, but Steinman himself seemed incapable of playing the subtlties required, and simply went for the broadest laughs. I think the above reviewer is so used to being spoon fed cover songs that he/she is incapable of appreciating anything new. Another unrelated point. Why does Steve (whatever his real name is) call himself Steinman? Is he trying to trick the audience into believing that he is somehow related to Meatloafs famous collaborator? If so, he must think we’re thick! Bad Boy Johnny was a great night out and one I would gladly see again (if it is performed by proffesional performers and not cabaret turns.)
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom Musical Review
erm.. I think you John should read the review again since I think you will find I covered your points:
you said “and as for the one mention of the word ‘rape’, good grief kids hear and see far worse than this on TV soaps”
I said “but it’s not as bad as some stuff on TV before the water shed”
Since I have to cover all aspects in a review for a large range of potential viewers, I thought it right to warn sensitive parents to a possible embarrassing experience viewing Bad Boy Johnny with their children.
Not all about people think the same way you do! some people are offended easily and I had to think about them in my review.
and really you should refrain from insulting people just because they have a different opinion to you, I can assure you I have a wide pallet when it come to the theatre shows I like.
It might well be that Bad Boy Johnny is a good show when produced well, but the performance at this particular show was lacking any flare and left me with no feeling towards the performance.
I do believe you agreed with me on this point when you said “My feeling was that Mr Steinman didn’t do full justice to this work. Sure his band played the terrific songs well and his cast were adequate, if sometimes a little out of their depth, but Steinman himself seemed incapable of playing the subtlties required, and simply went for the broadest laughs”
and you went on to say:” I would gladly see again (if it is performed by proffesional performers and not cabaret turns.)”
Which is how I felt, so your point is?
Marie
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom Musical Review
Marie,
I think it’s a bit rich to claim I was insulting you with my comment about your failure to appreciate something new, when you say “it felt like a drunk Australian had written it and was experiencing regular blackout’s!” I believe they do have the internet in Australia these days.
Of course, you are entitled to your opinion. However, your stated love of Vampires Rock rather betrays the level of your taste. I found VR loud and lazy. Old covers of rock songs strung together with a load of crude and lewd jokes. I seem to remember Steinman effing and blinding and using language far worse than the word ‘rape’. I think Steinman (or whatever his real name is) didn’t do this piece justice. I thought the songs were great and very catchy, and the storyline original, and I look forward to seeing it again with a new company when it plays again, as no doubt it will.
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom Musical Review
Before you think you know everything about me I suggest you visit my reviews of shows I’ve been to see at http://www.skegness-attractions.co.uk/guide/skegness-embassy-theater
This site your commenting on is new.
For reasons of health we can’t travel far to see a show, we can only see productions that feature at my local theatre which is relatively modest and many shows are hit and miss in quality.
I will only review shows I have seen and I will not comment on productions I haven’t experienced First hand, so banging on about how good it was some where else done by a different production company or with different actors is irrelevant.
I don’t care how good Bad Boy Johnny was received in Australia my only concern and review was on the UK version that I went to see.
I have seen some great shows that have been produced well and then I seen some productions that quite frankly lack the expected quality.
I base a shows purely on my enjoyment and if I didn’t like it I’ll darn well say so.
I have also seen Steve Steinman’s Bat the Symphony and it was awful, Steve ruined a tribute to Meatloaf by concentrating on his own ego.
The orchestra and the rock band the lost boys was fantastic in Bat the Symphony and I could have listened to them play all night (I love classical music), they were the only redeeming feature of the show Bat the symphony
Look out for that review coming soon!
After seeing Bad Boy Johnny and Bat the Symphony I am a little worried that I wont enjoy Vampires Rock as much I originally did, my eyes have been opened to Steve’s self indulgence and it’s wearing a little thin
There is nothing wrong with letting your hair down at a (as you put it low brow) concert, but when you pay good money to see a musical you expect a little more for your money.
Bad Boy Johnny was badly done and IMO the story sucked!.
As for my comment “it felt like a drunk Australian had written it and was experiencing regular blackout’s!” OOPS my bad, that should have been Englishman I’ve amended my error.
Marie.
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom Musical Review
well i seen Bad Boy Johnny and the prophets of doom for the first time and i thought it was FAB and i WOULD of recommend it to a friend. and i dothink it was well worth the money and i give it a 100/10
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