The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh presents the Reading Rep Theatre production as the Scottish Premiere of Jekyll & Hyde written by Gary McNair and starring Forbes Masson, who returns to the Lyceum stage for the first time in twenty years, in this one man show. Prolific stage actor Masson is an associate artist with the RSC and National Theatre of Scotland and comes to the Lyceum from recent stints on stage at The Troubadour, Chichester Festival Theatre and Regent’s Park. He is currently writing High Life The Musical with his fellow star of the iconic Scottish comedy show, international star Alan Cumming, and our own redoubtable Johnny McKnight.
Royal Lyceum Artistic Director David Greig said “I’ve wanted to have a Jekyll and Hyde on stage at The Lyceum for a long time, and I was really thrilled when I saw that Gary McNair, who’s one of my favourite Scottish playwrights, had done a one-person version of that story – a very good version as well – which premiered at the Reading Rep Theatre last year.
“Forbes taking on the role is the most outstanding casting – and I’m delighted he has agreed to come and light up our winter nights this January with his premiere in the role. Forbes is one of Scotland’s most loved stage actors, he’s compelling and charismatic – it’s great to have him back in Scotland and it’s going to be electric to see him play these iconic roles…’
In this ingenious and hilarious one-person adaptation by the renowned writer and performer Gary McNair, the classic story of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is turned on its head, revealing the depths of one man’s psyche and the lengths we go to hide our deepest secrets.
Gary McNair commented “It’s a real moment for me personally to have a show on the main stage at the Lyceum, it’s one of those full circle things. The first time I ever went to the Lyceum to see a show was to see Forbes in The Breathing House, that was 20 years ago and he really wowed me on stage. I’ve been a big fan of his work on television, I was a 17 year old school kid who loved The High Life. The Breathing House was my first experience of the Lyceum, and I’ve always wanted to do something there. And, as the circle would complete itself, 20 years later my first piece at the Lyceum will now be starring Forbes Masson and I’m absolutely delighted by that, by the symmetry and synchronicity of that. So, a few dreams come true all at once…”
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 