Review: JEKYLL & HYDE, Original Theatre

Mihaela Bodlovic

Watching theatre online – any form of recording – used to be quite the taboo, frowned upon by many. It was argued that one missed the ‘feel’ of the piece, the environs and atmosphere, the smells and sense of community. Then, of course, COVID came along, and entirely changed the way that we could experience theatre properly. Suddenly our sofas became the most comfortable theatre seats ever and, as Original Theatre put it in their pre-show preamble, you could “eat the loudest snacks, put your feet up, and do whatever you like”.

And so, with this in mind, I settled down to watch their production of Jekyll & Hyde, a new adaptation by Gary McNair, recorded at the Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum, returning with the material to the birthplace of the writer Robert Louis Stevenson.

As the figurative curtain goes up, we are greeted by Forbes Masson, with perfectly coiffed moustache, as he directly addresses us – “Before we begin, I’d like to say something – I’m not the good guy in this story.” Delivering this opening monologue in a soft Scottish brogue, we are instantly like putty in his hands, and the calm, pensive quality of his voice assures us that this is a master of his craft at work.

It is a story that starts with a door, and the use of lighting – designed by Richard Howell – is wonderfully simplistic, yet assured. The appearance of the door, and then the strobing warp as we step into the life of Utterson fully, back in autumn, is incredibly effective, as are the moments of darkness – that “primal dark” that Enfield tells us of, with just the accursed door floating somewhere just out of reach. The office location is created through the use of a small, focused light, within the greater frame of the stage, and the direction, by Michael Fentiman, is masterful in drawing our attention to just the right spot. The staging itself is equally simplistic – once Masson steps through from his initial direct address, the staging is composed solely of a chair and the microphone stand he began with upon this raised platform.

Masson’s multi-roled monologue is a powerful one, shifting between characters at the flip of a coin, and accompanied by a subtle, ethereal sound design by Richard Hammarton creates a sense of unease and discomfort. His occasional breaks of the fourth wall – directing asides at an unsuspecting audience member about their hair, for instance – bring much-needed levity to an otherwise heavy-going piece. Unfortunately, the vocal and physical shift between these characters is verging on too subtle, and many of the characters are therefore rather too similar to distinguish. Aside from a prop, such as Lanyon’s glasses, there is little to differentiate, which is a real shame, though his delivery is urgent and pointed throughout, very gripping, and he seems to hold the audience in the palm of his hand.

When we finally meet the eponymous Jekyll, almost halfway through, the staging is cleverly managed, with Masson stood, poised, behind the microphone stand, using a single bowler hat to multirole at arm’s length. The fixed gaze out, into the auditorium, is chilling and unrelenting. Similarly chilling is the breathless terror and grotesque imagery conjured in the description of Carew’s remains.

The soundscape, as the production proceeds, becomes all the more jarring, reaching a fever pitch when Jekyll’s prerecorded voice, reverb and echo on full, booms across the space, filling Masson’s Utterson with fear and dread, and the moment that he fully embodies Jekyll’s fear is a deeply unpleasant and unnerving moment, the shock manifesting through the lighting design as he shrieks into the darkness.

The final moments, as Utterson takes to the streets through billowing haze, is the highlight of the production, as Masson manifests Hyde fully, and the staging and performance come together in a wonderful combination guaranteed to bring goosebumps, lights swelling and fading relentlessly as the soundscape builds inexorably towards the final confrontation, and Utterson’s final confession is a truly chilling and shocking moment.

*** Three Stars

Reviewed by Scott Edwards

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