Jekyll & Hyde

I was delighted to attend Opening Night when the house had been “bought out” for the national charity Rethink Mental Illness.  It was so appropriate that this play had been chosen to support this amazing charity in its work.  The house was also supported by a large party of youngsters who are studying the famous book on which this play is based.  They sat in wrapt attention throughout – a testament to the quality of the performance. 

The parlour set with its jagged back wall and uneasy angles presented in Regency red against black conveyed the bachelor starkness, the high status and the oppressiveness required by this story.  Items of furniture and ornament had been carefully chosen so as not to be over fussy and yet maintain the overbearing nature of the scene: a wonderful example of less is more.  At first the dining table seemed too small and impracticable, but it soon became clear how corseted the characters were who sat in this area and as time went on how restricted the doctor’s world was becoming.  The large, hardly used open space at the front of the stage quickly became an area of freedom that none of the characters were prepared to venture into and eventually became Edward Hyde’s space and the killing ground.  As Jekyll’s world closed in around him this gaping big space became less and less open to him.

The small area to stage right used for the laboratory worked extremely well.  Dimly lit and cramped with pinched scientific items neatly placed.  Well caught, by the way.  It is a risk to use glassware especially in such a restricted space, but it turned out to all be well planned and carried out.  The entrances via the “back door” through the audience worked very well and proved quite disturbing for the audience’s attention was firmly placed on stage.   Despite the inevitable limited space for these scenes, well planned placing and working rarely emphasised the tightness of the space.

Lighting was atmospheric with the gobo window effects showing the different times of day and the fogginess of the streets outside.  Areas were effectively lit giving the appearance of the Victorian room and the inevitable darker areas.  The bravery to do this certainly paid off as Jekyll’s world darkened and the areas of light narrowed.  This worked well with the dulling of Celestine’s clothing.  It was good to see a lighting design so in-tune with what was happening within the story.

ALPs have an impressive costume department and character and status had been carefully considered in the choice of outfits.  As before mentioned, the choice of colouring in Celestine’s outfits and her gradual darkening worked very well.  Also, the changing of the style of shawl which gradually closed in upon her.  How far had corsetry been considered?  Celestine is so confined by society’s conventions, perhaps the bodices could have been more restraining.  Charlotte’s outfit worked very well with its constant reminder of her place of origin and its many criss-crossing of lines and layers.  Hilda’s skirts seemed too short but practical.  There was a lot of ankle showing which seemed too risqué, but perhaps that was the intention.  Penny sported flounces and lace which overflowed and bubbled in all directions nicely emphasising the character.  The gentlemen were most austerely dressed and in general most correctly.  The modern clip-on braces could not be hidden which, when so much consideration had been given, seemed glaringly out of place.  Braces are so important in period pieces of this nature as they assist in making sure there is no gap between the top of the trouser and the waistcoat.  This can be aided by long shirts.  Today’s shirts do not have the tails that they used to and it is difficult to get them to stay down.  This can lead to a ruffle appearing at the join.  The beautifully and tightly presented Doctor would not have had such a problem whereas, naturally, Mr. Hyde certainly had.  The dishevelment of Hyde was beautifully restrained.  So often this character’s appearance is portrayed in the style of twentieth century comic villains and it loses the realistic decline of Jekyll.  Not so on this occasion.

The general restraint with which the “Victorian Gothic” was treated worked extremely well.  Fortunately, Leonard Caddy, doesn’t wallow in the excesses that can accompany this style of play.  His dialogue was delivered in a very natural manner.  Characters were well drawn and seemed “at home” in the space.  As all the characters would have been familiar with this room it was good not to see any struggling with movement around the space.  Everything seemed so natural and yet repressed.  It was good to see the whole given a modern treatment without Victorian frills and inventions.

All the characters had been well researched and constructed.  Once again it must be mentioned how natural everyone seemed.  The period nature of the piece places restrictions on everyone but the etiquette of the period and status was carefully used to heighten the tensions.  It is rare to see a version of this story where one could feel sympathy for all the characters and their inability to find ways of dealing with the situation.  The supporting male roles were each beautifully handled with appropriate restraint.

In the central role, Robert Billen gave a highly considered and controlled performance.  From the charming Doctor we first meet to the introspection and descent into darkness he handled the portrayal without excess.  So many opportunities to spoil everything with excesses were studiously ignored and all seemed scarily believable.  The Director’s personal understanding of the process must have been most useful in building this and the other characterisations. 

It was good to have everyone so well prepared and at ease with their characters.  Also, obvious to all, was the team-work that had gone into preparing the piece.  The support given to the actors by the Crew was first-rate in every department and the actors worked for each other.  A well paced presentation which subtly built the tension and provoked a good deal of retrospective thought.

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