Thespian Thoughts – Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Theatre Review by Sandro Monetti
DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE
This atmospheric staging of the classic creature story deserves to be a monster hit.
– Theatre Review by SANDRO MONETTI
With moody lighting, spine chilling sound, authentic British accents and period costumes, the audience is immediately transported to the dark streets and sinister back alleys of Victorian London.
There we find a lawyer named Utterson (an outstanding Isaac Wade) outraged by the menacing behavior of newcomer Mr Hyde and concerned by the brutal stranger’s association with his respected friend, Dr Jekyll (a convincingly conflicted Stephen Van Dorn).
Of course,we learn that they are one and the same man but Robert Louis Stevenson’s stirring study of split personality goes in some unexpected directions in this smart adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher.
For example, four different performers portray Jekyll’s brutish alter ego Mr Hyde and the ending is not quite what you might expect.
Although the story remains set in 1883, director Mary Jo Duprey’s clever show serves to remind us of the very contemporary themes of secret lives and identity struggles.
This is Jekyll and Hyde unlike you’ve ever seen it before – and it works on every single level.
DR JEKYLL & MR HYDE
CAST
Stephen Van Dorn, Isaac Wade, Mark Bramhall, Paul Turbiak, Deborah Marlowe, Greyson Chadwick.
CREDITS
Produced by – Rhonda Kohl
Directed by – Mary Jo Duprey
Scenic Design – Ellen Lenbergs
Lighting Design – Pablo Santiago
Hair/Wig Design – Krys Fehervari
Dialect Coach – Coco Kleppinger
Costume Design – Vicki Conrad
Sound design – Austin Quan
Property Design – Nicholas Acciani
Stage Manager – Samantha Else
Publicity – Nan McNamara
Photos by Lindsay Schnebly
Presented by Actors Co-op.
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the novella by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2.30pm until November 17.
Additional matinees Sat Oct 19 and Sat Nov 16 at 2.30pm.
At David Schaal Theatre
1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, CA 90028
On the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood.
Tickets $30 regular admission, $25 seniors, $20 students.
For reservations call 323 462 8460 ext 300 or reserve online at ActorsCo-op.org
Thespian Thoughts is a theatre review article on Actors Entertainment, a channel on the Actors Podcast Network, a Pepper Jay Production.