Batman delights arena crowds

Two hours of spectacular special effects and acrobatics provide an entertaining family show about the caped crusader and his sidekick Robin.

A bat-shaped back screen transports us from scene to scene and comic book story boards also help to move the action along.

The story starts with the brutal killing of the boy Bruce Wayne’s parents in a street robbery, the act which transformed the adult Wayne into his crime fighting alter ego Batman.

A similar fate awaits the teenage Dick Grayson, whose acrobat parents The Flying Graysons perform a breathtaking high wire act before also being murdered.

Dick is taken in by Wayne and when he eventually discovers that Wayne is Batman, he dons his own outfit and joins him as Robin, creating the legendary double act.

Along the way Batman battles a seemingly never ending line-up of arch enemies including Catwoman, the Penguin, Two Face and the Riddler.

But it is the Joker who steals the show from the minute he springs out of a jack-in-a-box, his evil grin scaring and delighting the audience in equal measure.

No story about Batman would be complete without his super powered car, the Batmobile, and this sleek futuristic model, by racing car designer Prof Gordon Murray, doesn’t disappoint.

For a list of venues on the tour go to www.batmanlive.com.

By Helen Johnston