Classic gothic drama: SMuTS presents Jekyll and Hyde

Last night was the opening night of Sussex Musical Theatre Society’s performance of Jekyll and Hyde, a musical based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Held in the Attenborough Centre, SMuTS have created an evocative production which brings the gothic themes of the musical to the forefront and creates a journey for the audience to take alongside the characters through the plot.

Set in 19th Century London, Jekyll and Hyde tells the tale of the passionate and romantic Dr. Henry Jekyll, a man dedicated to science. He is dedicated to finding a chemical breakthrough that can solve some of mankind's most challenging medical dilemmas. After being rebuked by his peers, Dr Jekyll decides to make himself the subject of his own experimentations, and in doing so, unleashes his own terrifying inner-demon, Mr. Edward Hyde. The musical, with music and lyrics by Frank Wildhorn, Steve Cuden and Leslie Bricusse, made its Broadway debut in 1997 and has been produced internationally since.

It would be unfitting to begin this review in anyway other than commending the outstanding performance of George Martin Marino, who returned to the ACCA stage to play Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. He has perfected the changes in characterisation between the two men which became particularly prominent in the number 'Confrontation' in which Jekyll has a final face-off against Hyde, meaning Marino was acting against himself in two different charaters. Playing two complex and intense characters with so much conviction is an incredible acheivment and this combined with his outstanding vocals made Marino by far the best person to watch on stage.

George Martin Marino as Dr. Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde.

The performance, directed and co-directed by Shannon Duff and Charlie Passalacqua, was brought to life by the chorus. The ensemble numbers were some of the strongest moments in the performance, so it was a shame that several solo lines were lost to microphones not being live and the orchestra drowning them out. The contrast between the upper class and lower class of 19th Century London was fantastically portrayed by the ensemble. Especially noted chorus and supporting cast members are Francesca Hamilton, perfectly cast as a brothel pimp, Stella Elizabeth Pollard, who stood out in every ensemble number, and Susanne Sinisalu, who sang some notes I hardly thought were possible.

Other notable performances came from Ellen Oxenham as prostitute Lucy Harris, Stefan Chanyaem as Dr. Jekyll's lawyer, John Utterson and Juliet Llewellyn-West as Emma Carrew, Dr. Jekyll's fiancé.

Oxenham's performance of Lucy was outstanding as she potrayed the character as a vulnerable yet fierce woman. Her number, 'Someone Like You' was one of the best in the musical, making it heartbreaking that she sang the last note of her big song in total darkness due to a mistake with lighting. Llewellyn-West as Emma has a beautiful, clear soprano voice and she encapsulated Emma's unconditional love and trust for Henry Jekyll.

Ellen Oxenham as Lucy Harris

Chanyaem's performance alongside Marino was a delight to watch as the two actors constructed a believable and interesting relationship between the two characters, which comes to full force in the final scene of the musical.

Unfortunately, last night's performance was seriously affected by a number of technical difficulties which left actors singing with no mic amplification, standing in darkness and being interrupted by noise from offstage microphones which had been left on. While they weren't major errors, they compromised the performance of incredibly talented performers and their hard work.

The set of the play was used effectively to transport the audience to the different locations of the play. The cogs that hung over the stage for the duration of the play emphasised the un-natural, gothic and scientific themes of the play. The set for Dr. Jekyll's office was particularly interesting and encapsulated his dedication to his profession as a scientist.

Overall, I would urge everyone to go and see this musical. A huge amount of hard work has gone into making the performance spectacular and there is some amazing talent on the stage. As a student-run society, SMuTS relies on fellow students to support what they do. Take this chance to go and see some of the amazing home-grown talent that Sussex has to offer.

Shows are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7.30pm and tickets can be bought here.

Photos by Malcolm Tam