Jekyll & Hyde is so deeply embedded in the English lexicon as a metaphor for living a disparate double life, that having read the 19th century novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, seems barely required. In its time, Edinburgh born writer Robert Louis Stevenson’s small book created shock waves among the reading public. Such was its impact that over the many years since its publication it has been adapted multiple times for stage, screen and radio and now we have a new one actor version. Our very own beloved Scottish playwright and performer Gary McNair was approached by Reading Rep Theatre to create this and boy oh boy has he done it well!
McNair’s radical version premiered at Reading Rep where the lead role was played to acclaim by former Cirque du Soleil performer Audrey Brisson. In its Scottish premiere at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre, another beloved Scottish actor, Forbes Masson, takes on the multiple roles as he returns to the Lyceum stage for the first time in twenty years to bring home the classic tale.
Masson walks across the stage in front of a solid black backcloth and begins his narration. During this scene setting, and before we know who he is, he tells us that he’s “… not the good guy….” When the black screen goes up, we are faced with a dark as night stage where Richard Howell’s lighting design uses stark white rectangular lights that go on with the shock noise of flash bulbs to show the mysterious significant door and to highlight the border of the elevated mini stage that holds a single chair. Designer Max Jones’ triple set of spotlights sit visibly side stage like a giant secondary character adding to the bare directness of this gripping production.
Under Michael Fentiman’s concise direction, Masson elides brilliantly from one character to the next with the aid of only minimum props in the salutary tale reminding us that “monsters are people” and that none of us is mono faceted. McNair’s trademark voice and humour, delivered to perfection by fellow Scot, Masson, is evident throughout, like an impish sprite playing keek-a-boo in the script!
Quietly effective subtle sounds from Composer and Sound Designer Richard Hammarton add to this tense and genuinely engrossing piece that encourages thoughts on the realities of human existence and the consequences of being quietly compliant or in Utterson’s words “helping bad men run free.” Unmissable.
Dates: 13th – 27th January 2024
Age recommend 12+
Running time 70 mins no interval
Tour continues to:
Perth Theatre
Wednesday 31st January – Saturday 3rd February
Dundee Rep
Wednesday 7th February – Saturday 10th February
Macrobert Arts Centre
Thursday 15th February – Saturday 17th February
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 