Gothic horror perfectly captured at Corn Exchange
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde at the Corn Exchange from Thursday, March 10 to Saturday, March 12. Review by ROBIN STRAPP
Bracknell based Blackeyed Theatre have built up an enviable reputation for touring audacious productions. Their latest revival of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, adapted and directed by Nick Lane, perfectly captures the gothic horror of this chilling tale.
Victoria Spearing’s evocative set of old cupboards, chairs and doors cleverly creates Dr Jekyll’s laboratory and is dramatically lit by Clare Childs. Composer Tristan Parkes’ emotive score helped to create the dark foreboding atmosphere.
The versatile cast impressively create the characters with energy and commitment. Blake Kubena is outstanding as Dr Jekyll and has a strong stage presence. His striking transformation into the repulsive, wild Mr Hyde was powerfully effective as he battled between the good and evil in his tortured mind.
Gabriel Utterson is Jekyll’s pompous lawyer and close friend. Zach Lee brings a sense of propriety to the character although his curt delivery was sometimes difficult to follow.
Ashley Sean-Cook gives a moving performance as Hasting Lanyon, a loyal and generous friend of Jekyll who disagrees with his experiments to create the serum that creates his evil Mr Hyde.
Page Round plays all the female characters with confidence. Be it a prostitute in the squalled streets of London or Mrs Bradshaw, the housemaid. She also sings some delightful ballads with a lovely Irish brogue.
Her portrayal of Eleanor, Lanyon’s wife was filled with emotion as she falls hopelessly in love with Jekyll with catastrophic results for both her and her husband.
The first act’s stunning ending, where Hyde bludgeons an old man to death in slow motion, shocked the audience and was a tour de force dramatic technique that was truly frightening.
Jekyll believes that “I’m not insane I’m the future” but when the serum stops working, he becomes trapped as Hyde and unable to tolerate his situation kills himself.
The Corn Exchange’s audience was mainly students from local secondary schools studying the set text as part of their exams. They would find lots to write about in this skilful spellbinding production.
