Jekyll & Hyde
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Tuesday 11th - Saturday 15th May 2010Solihull Theatre Company was delighted to present A love story interwoven with the epic battle between good and evil, the classic tale of a brilliant doctor whose experiments with human personality created a murderous counterpart. Jekyll and Hyde was pure pulse-pounding theatre with a lush romantic score that combined the macabre fun and frights of the Phantom of the Opera with the emotive power of Les Miserables. |
Director/Choreographer |
Musical Director |
Andrew Wilson-Jenner |
Mark Timms |
Character |
Actor |
Orchestra |
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Dr Jekyll / Mr Hyde |
Ian Page |
Violin |
Katy Jarvie |
Red Rats
Jackie Breen, Kate Edmunds, Sonia Entwistle, Deb Free,
Katy Halliday,
Sarah Macrow, Adriana McDiarmid, Joanne Murphy.
Society Ladies and Gentlemen
Ann Berry, Natalie Drydale, Debbie Hemming, Peter Mann,
Janet Seabridge,
Sarah Shemmel, Jon Sheridan, Sylvia Soley,
Paul Stainton, Bryony Tindall,
Keith Western, Lyndsay Whitehouse.
Paupers, Beggars and Drinkers
Liz Barker, Michael Clarke, Maurice Evans, Elliot Gascoign,
Daniel Green,
Caroline Hume, Alison Kift, Indigo Le Fevre,
Jonathan Lewis, Donna Maisey,
James Norton,
Paul Rea, Lizzie Sheridan, Dan Wainman.
Photo Highlights
A selection of photos from rehearsals, locations shoots, press photography and stage. Simply click to enlarge.
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Reviews & Letters
Kathy & Phil - Audience Members (11th May 2010)
"We were overwhelmed with the whole show everything about it! Ian Page
deserves an oscar for his performance and I was particularly impressed with
Laura Poyner who played Lucy and Amy Price's lovely voice who played Emma.
There were others too, of course, the "Tarts". I was so emotionally drained at the end I felt I had run a marathon. So - Congratulations all round to STC for the best production we've seen on the circuit in years - accolades all round. If we had a night free I would see it again"
Robert Houghton - Audience Member (15th May 2010)
"What a brilliant show. Saw it last night, and i have to say it was easily the best amateur production I've seen in years (and I've seen a LOT of amatuer shows and been in a lot myself). Congratulations to all the cast."
Glynis Smith - Audience Member (13th May 2010)
"I should like to take this opportunity to thank you all for a WONDERFUL night's entertainment tonight. You all worked so hard on what is a very difficult score. The staging was great, the costumes were great, in fact you were ALL great. Give yourselves a round of applause. "
Gill Masters - Audience Member (15th May 2010)
"A brilliant performance from everyone, but must make special mention of the
lovely 'Lucy' outstanding! I felt as though I was watching a West End show."
Shaun Coney - Audience Member (13th May 2010)
"Brilliant Show. Well done for putting on an entertaining musical which never
got the relaease it deserved"
Gemma L M Parton - Audience Member (15th May 2010)
"Well done all involved in the show it was wonderful. Really gave me the itch to get back into theatre. Thanks for a great night out"
Martin Corbishley - Audience Member (13th May 2010)
"What a brilliant show! It was excellent. Well done everyone!"
Synopsis
Act I
Dr Henry Jekyll is first seen in an asylum near a comatose body, revealed to be his father. It is Jekyll’s belief that the evil in his father’s soul has caused his illness. Jekyll’s passion is to find out why man is both good and evil, and his experiments are an attempt to separate the good from evil.
Jekyll presents his research to the Board of Governors of St. Jude’s Hospital but, with the exception of Sir Danvers Carew, they mockingly reject Jekyll’s proposal to experiment on a living human.
Sir Danvers throws a party for his daughter Emma’s engagement to Jekyll. The toast of society turns up, including the Board of Governors and Simon Stride, Jekyll’s rival for Emma’s affections. Stride tries to reason Emma out of her engagement, but she turns him down. Jekyll then arrives, somewhat late for his own party. Later, Danvers tells Emma that he likes Jekyll but worries about his behavior.
Out that night, Jekyll and his friend John Utterson are tempted into the dingy Red Rat pub by Nellie, a ‘lady of the night’. Inside, they watch as a beautiful prostitute, Lucy Harris, sings and dances. After the show Lucy and Jekyll have a drink together. Later, Jekyll gives Lucy his visiting card.
Back at the upper-class part of town, Utterson notices that Jekyll is in a better mood and suggests that he retires for the evening. Ignoring his friend’s advice, Jekyll proceeds to his lab. Mixing his chemicals, he creates formula HJ7 and injects himself. After a few moments, he transforms into a hideous beast of a man. He goes out and roams the streets, drinking in the sights and sounds of London, including an encounter with Lucy. He names himself Edward Hyde.
A week later, and no one has heard anything from Jekyll. His housekeeper, Poole, tells Utterson that Jekyll has been locked in his lab all this time. Suddenly, Jekyll emerges demanding that Poole fetch some chemicals for him. Utterson confronts him, asking him what he’s been doing all this time.
Lucy arrives at Jekyll’s house with a nasty bite. As Jekyll treats it, she tells him a man named Hyde did it. Jekyll is stunned by this revelation but hides it. Obviously in love with him, Lucy kisses Jekyll. Disturbed by his own actions, Jekyll leaves Lucy, who sings about her love for him.
That night, the Bishop of Basingstoke is seen walking down the street after a ‘meeting’ with Nellie, the prostitute. Hyde appears and beats the bishop to death with his cane, thus ending Act I.
Act II
Act II begins with the people of London discussing the latest news headline: the bishop’s murder.
After his funeral, General Glossop and Lord Savage leave the church, making snide remarks about their deceased colleague. Hyde appears again and kills Glossop, while Savage runs for his life.
The Londoners talk about the second murder. Later, Lord Savage, Sir Proops and Lady Beaconsfield drunkenly leave a charity dinner, showing disgust for the lower classes. Once again Hyde shows up, killing Proops and Lady Beaconsfield. Savage makes another miraculous escape.
The city reacts to the third and fourth murders. Savage attempts to leave the city by train, but unfortunately for him, Hyde tracks him down.
Later, Emma finds Jekyll distraught in his lab. She begs him to confide in her. Jekyll has to face the fact that Hyde is now part of himself. Lucy and Emma sing about their love for the same man. Later, Lucy is visited by a very possessive Hyde, who exerts some sort of a animalistic control over her.
Utterson comes looking for Jekyll in his lab only to discover Hyde. Hyde injects the formula and transforms back into Jekyll. He tells an astonished Utterson that he believes her can destroy Hyde.
Utterson visits Lucy at the Red Rat and begs her to leave town and start a new life elsewhere. She sings about the possibility of a new life ahead. Just then, Hyde returns and savagely kills her. A sudden transformation occurs and Jekyll must face what he has done as Hyde. He returns to his laboratory and faces off with Hyde in a final battle, where only one can survive.
It seems that Jekyll has won as, several weeks later, Jekyll and Emma stand before the priest at their wedding. But has Mister Hyde really gone forever? Has good finally succeeded in beating evil?
Credits
Book and Lyric by Leslie Bricusse. Music by Frank Wildhorn. Conceived for the stage by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn. Orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg.
Arrangements by Jason Howland. An amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York. Original Broadway Production by PACE Theatrical Group, Inc.
All songs are: Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Music by Frank Wildhorn, except 'Alive', 'First Transformation', 'His Work And Nothing More', 'Once Upon A Dream' and 'Murder! Murder!' which have Lyrics by Steve Cuden, Leslie Bricusse and Frank Wildhorn, and Music by Frank Wildhorn.
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