AD | GIFTED

Production photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

The Robert Louis Stevenson novel Jekyll & Hyde is a gothic classic, up there with the greats like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series, and it has seen many iterations over the years, including Reading Rep Theatre’s production (presented by Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh) by Gary McNair in this latest adaptation for stage.

Now, we have a brand new film of this critically acclaimed show, which has been commissioned by Original Theatre in a special arrangement with the producers, and it’s exclusively streaming on Original Online.

This production is unique though, in that the classic story of Jekyll & Hyde is turned on its head, revealing the depths of one man’s psyche and the lengths we will go to hide our deepest secrets. What will happen to a curious mind as it’s left to its own devices?

Truthfully, I do not know the story of Jekyll & Hyde, so I cannot make comparisons in how it sits next to the original text, but what really struck me was the beautiful artistry of the poetic and rich writing. This seems to a common theme among popular gothic novels and plays, as the language and its delivery is what creates the eerie atmosphere and dark drama. It is a fascinating look at the idea of how human personalities can reflect the interplay of good and evil, and I could see why the story is so beloved in this genre.

The tale is brought to life as a captivating one-person play by the richly talented Forbes Masson (The Crown, Farm Hall, Newsies) under the slick direction of Michael Fentiman, both bring the text and story alive brilliantly. Supported by Richard Howell’s Lighting Design and Richard Hammarton’s sound design, the simple but effective darkness with haunting sounds sets the tone for the piece perfectly.

Unfortunately, it didn’t grip me in the way I had hoped. Though this isn’t actually a fault of the production or performances, more a mixture of me personally struggling with gothic novel texts transferred to stage (Sorry! We all have different tastes for a reason right?) and ocassionally finding it too difficult to fully engage with the home-viewing. I think the text just isn’t my cup of tea, and it’s the type of production that I would probably appreciate more if watching live when fully absorbed in the eerie atmosphere of the storytelling.

That said, I am a huge advocate for what Original Theatre Online do in terms of making theatre more accessible and savouring these productions. I loved that I could watch along with subtitles at any time that I wished. I firmly believe that if you love all things gothic play texts and have a keen interest in the stories and themes of Jekyll & Hyde, then this is absolutely the show for you! It is slick and well-produced and written brilliantly, it just didn’t appeal to my tastes.

If like me, this sounds like it might not quite be the show for you but you like plays and want to support home viewing theatre, I would still urge you to check out the wide variety of productions that Original Theatre Online have on offer as there’s bound to be something that appeals.

Jekyll & Hyde is currently available to stream for Original Online Members. You can become a member to watch now.

General release, including rental and gift options, will be available from Friday 29 March, 5pm at originaltheatre.com/productions/jekyll-hyde.

Jekyll & Hyde was recorded at Dundee Rep Theatre in February 2024