Jekyll and Hyde

Victorian England was given a modern twist in this interpretation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novella.

This was an amazing re-creation of a unique play. I loved the modern feminist take. The acting by the Fourth and Fifth Years was inspirational, and I thought the concept was very cleverly portrayed by the actors. The musical numbers brought life to the stage. I loved the flashbacks to the modern world and how it highlighted key issues. The costume and set design were very well designed and transported us back to Victorian England. Everyone who participated should be incredibly proud of themselves for producing such an excellent piece of theatre.

Martha Cooper I Second Year

Evan Placey’s adaptation of this classic novel takes a radical, feminist approach as the main character is a woman who explores her darker sides. The play picks up after the death of Doctor Jekyll, and his wife (Hettie Jekyll, played magnificently by Plum Knowles) is grieving the loss of her husband. When looking through her late husband’s possessions, she comes across his recordings of his experiments and decides to investigate further. After several attempts in her husband’s laboratory, she ended up making the same concoction that enables one to be liberated and able to investigate their true desires, regardless of how dark and dangerous they may be.

This was a truly immersive performance as the music, costume, lighting and acting kept the play engaging throughout. One of my favourite moments was when Hettie Jekyll was in Doctor Jekyll’s lab experimenting, as the juxtaposition between the prim and proper lady that she presented herself as and her inner curiosity and desire to be able to learn were conflicting. This scene was also cleverly paired with the song Just a Girl by No Doubt as it emphasised that society at the time expected women to just be a ‘pretty face’, whereas Hettie disproves this point as she is equally smart and capable as her husband. Another moment that stood out is when Hettie Jekyll had transformed into Flossie Hyde, and she ventured out to the local bar. Plum Knowles had changed from her very formal dress into a corset and leather trousers. This clever costume change helped emphasise the contrast between the two sides of the character.

The dramatic plot twist at the end, where Florence, played by Emily Smith, revealed her involvement in the feminist extremist attacks on men who had done wrong, led to gasps from the audience. I also loved the technical elements, with the simplicity of a red curtain and the chapter titles projected onto the top for the audience to read. The acting was flawless, engaging and quick-paced, with notable mentions for Nell Gudgin who played Sally, Holly Seabrooke, Freya Ludlow and Aria Chauker who played the group of friends, Gertrude, Ida and Martha, along with the fantastic performance from Oliver Kemp who played Gabriel John Utterson, and Jasper Simon who played Judge Enfield. I loved the performances of Charlie Neale, playing Dr Lanyon, and Hannah Topen and Emily Jones, who delivered sensational performances of DCI Renford and DC Williams. A special mention should go to the incredible tech team, who worked so hard to produce this incredible play.