REVIEW: The Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde cast led the Bryce audience through the well known story but in such a way that it seemed fresh and new.
I had not been to one of the Burneside Amateur Theatrical Society's (BATS) events before, other than pantomimes, but I will be a regular client after seeing their recent production of David Edgar's play, Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, based on the book by Robert Louis Stephenson, writes Phil Hull.
The cast led us through the well known story but in such a way that it seemed fresh and new. Dr Jekyll was carefully crafted by Gordon Lawson, doubling up with his role as producer as a late stand in, to be gentle and slightly bemused by his confused feelings. His alter ego, Mr Hyde, was, in contrast, a vicious psychopath, frighteningly portrayed by Adam Carruthers.
The support company was very well cast. Simon Yaxley, who played Poole the butler, could have come straight from Downton Abbey and Martin Cash, Louise Bell, John Dodds, Rita Brown, Ron Milnes and Richard Sutton all contributed with strong and convincing performances.
However, for me, Clare Walker, as Annie Loder, the maid, was outstanding. Her subservience was exactly right and her reactions to the perilous situations she found herself in with Hyde were totally convincing, so much so that I wondered if Hyde really was strangling her at one point.
One of the highlights of the performance was the frequent switch between Jekyll and Hyde. No pantomime tricks here, no disappearance behind a chair as one character and then reappearing as the other. No, the change was made in full view of the audience under lighting effects that gave the change an appropriate surreal feel.
The set design, by Stewart Williams and the BATS production team, was simple but effective and changes between scenes were slick and efficient and did not distract despite being on the open stage in full, dimly lit, view. Sound and lighting was also of the highest standard.
All in all, an evening well spent. Roll on the next BATS production, I'll be there.
Phil Hull
I had not been to one of the Burneside Amateur Theatrical Society's (BATS) events before, other than pantomimes, but I will be a regular client after seeing their recent production of David Edgar's play, Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, based on the book by Robert Louis Stephenson, writes Phil Hull.
The cast led us through the well known story but in such a way that it seemed fresh and new. Dr Jekyll was carefully crafted by Gordon Lawson, doubling up with his role as producer as a late stand in, to be gentle and slightly bemused by his confused feelings. His alter ego, Mr Hyde, was, in contrast, a vicious psychopath, frighteningly portrayed by Adam Carruthers.
The support company was very well cast. Simon Yaxley, who played Poole the butler, could have come straight from Downton Abbey and Martin Cash, Louise Bell, John Dodds, Rita Brown, Ron Milnes and Richard Sutton all contributed with strong and convincing performances.
However, for me, Clare Walker, as Annie Loder, the maid, was outstanding. Her subservience was exactly right and her reactions to the perilous situations she found herself in with Hyde were totally convincing, so much so that I wondered if Hyde really was strangling her at one point.
One of the highlights of the performance was the frequent switch between Jekyll and Hyde. No pantomime tricks here, no disappearance behind a chair as one character and then reappearing as the other. No, the change was made in full view of the audience under lighting effects that gave the change an appropriate surreal feel.
The set design, by Stewart Williams and the BATS production team, was simple but effective and changes between scenes were slick and efficient and did not distract despite being on the open stage in full, dimly lit, view. Sound and lighting was also of the highest standard.
All in all, an evening well spent. Roll on the next BATS production, I'll be there.
Phil Hull
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The Strange Case of The Portrait of Edward Jekyll...
The play called for a portrait of Henry Jekyll's father, Edward Jekyll. The portrait would play an important part during the play and at its climax. The director wanted the portrait to reflect the features of both the actors playing Jekyll and Hyde, Gordon and Adam. A suitable portrait was found on the web, and then the features were replaced with a "morphed" image of Adam's and Gordon's faces. The result is on the right...but which "bits" belong to Adam and which to Gordon? |
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