Review: JEKYLL & HYDE (Original Theatre Online)


Tickets: Gifted

Rating: 4 Stars

Solo performances, which seem to be all the rage at the moment, can be a bit hit and miss, especially if the performer has to take on multiple roles, but in Original Theatre’s Jekyll & Hyde, Forbes Masson is a hit, taking on the varied roles in the story, from Utterson the lawyer (and perhaps somewhat unreliable narrator) to the titular dual role itself, with gusto, able to switch personalities on a whim, it seems, all with little more than the buttoning up of a waistcoat, a rolling down of sleeves, and a change of accent or, in some cases, just tone of voice. It’s a remarkable performance that draws you into the story quickly, so that within the first couple of minutes the audience is hooked – we can’t leave now, not when there’s so much happening and such an eerie tale to get to the bottom of. 

The story has been adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s source material by Gary McNair, who has managed to take the original story and condense it down into 70 minutes, and each of those 70 minutes counts. As a result, the play is creepy, weird, and incredibly intense, with a general air of mystery and dread surrounding every one of Masson’s taught, tight words. The final feeling is that of a fast-moving play that doesn’t let the audience (or Masson himself) pause for a second, and that makes the tension build even more. 

Photo Credit: Mihaela Bodlovic


With very few props and no set, it’s the lighting (by Richard Howell) that really makes the difference in this production. From the simple bright outline of the original unnerving and ‘grotesque’ door that Utterson and his companion come by that leads to the rest of the story unfolding, to the clever way that shadows are created, giving the audience the sure and certain feeling (and fear) that something awful is hiding in the background, this is what sets the play apart. Along with Masson’s flawless performance and Michael Fentiman’s inspired direction, Jekyll & Hyde is what theatre is all about. 

Jekyll & Hyde is available exclusively from Original Online’s digital theatre library: https://originaltheatre.com/productions/jekyll-hyde. Members can watch on demand from Friday 22 March at 5pm. Become a Member from £8.99/month* for early access to this release and the rest of Original Theatre’s online catalogue (*renewing monthly, cancel anytime, effective at the end of the billing period). General release is from Friday 29 March at 5pm, with 48 hours rental for £5.99.

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