Pre-show workshop

This practical workshop can be used to introduce students to the themes and narrative of Jekyll & Hyde before they watch the performance. You could pick and choose from these activities or put them together for a longer workshop.

You will need: Post its, pens, paper, the synopsis, highlighters, and key quotes printed out.

1 Still Images Put students into groups and ask them to create still images based on each of the following themes: Duality, Personality, Appearance vs Reality, Nature vs Evolution, Morality, Religion vs Science, Patriarchy. Their still images could be literal or abstract. Encourage students to experiment with levels, physicality, and contact work. The images could be performed to music to create an emotive piece of physical theatre.

2 Key moments Give students the synopsis from this education pack. Ask students to read the synopsis together, encouraging students to take it in turns to read aloud to each other, developing oracy. After students have read the synopsis, ask them to split the story into 10 key moments, which they could highlight or write on post its or paper. Once they have established their 10 key moments, they can then develop each moment into a still image, and then work on transitions between each image. 3 Interpreting Quotes In groups, give students one of these quotes from the play. Ask students to discuss the quote, thinking about what it could mean and why it is significant. Students could then either feedback their thoughts to the class or use the quote as a stimulus for an improvised scene, building on their understanding of the play’s themes. I was the first woman they had ever admitted to their hospital. They were polite, of course – but I knew they were judging me. That they wanted me to fail. In addition to which … well that whole strange affair of Dr Jekyll was one of my very first serious cases. (Dr Stevenson)

Oh there was definitely something wrong about himWrong with his appearance, I mean - Oh definitely – Downright detestable, if you ask me ! (Gentlemen) Oh dear sir no - Mr Hyde never dines here. He mostly comes and goes by the laboratory side of things, sir, we see very little of him on this side of the house. (Mrs Poole)

I believe that others will come after us – that they will outstrip our current state of knowledge – and that one day we will come to understand that not only do two basic and conflicting natures contend in the field of every human consciousness, but that man will ultimately be known to contain multitudes … (Jekyll)

If only these two “persons” of mine, I began to think, might be truly split. Dis-associated. If the “sordid” or violent part of me - for instance - might walk his downward path delivered from all remorse, while his more upright twin might carry on doing all the good things he was doing, but no longer threatened by Disgrace. (Jekyll)

4 Transformations Ask students to walk around the space, just as themselves at a neutral pace. Ask students to observe their own body language, pace, rhythm and gait. Now tell students you will call out a character from the play, and they must change their body language to adapt to that character. Ask students to consider their weight, pace, gait, which part of the body they lead with. Ask students to transform from one character to another, either slowly or quickly, and observe these changes. You could play around with transforming from Jekyll to Hyde and back, and play around with levels of exaggeration and subtlety.

5 Costume design task In groups, give students two large pieces of paper and pens, colours etc. Ask them to design two costumes for the same actor who is to play Jekyll and Hyde. How will the character quickly transform his costume to play both roles? Students could share their ideas with the class at the end. 6 Set design task Either using the image bank in this pack or without, ask students to design a set for this performance. Ask students to consider how the back door and front door of Jekyll’s house can be shown, and how the design can be manipulated to switch between both locations.

7 Staging a scene Using the scene extract on the following page, ask students to stage this section in groups. This is from near the end of the play, when Jekyll is explaining his version of events to the rest of the characters. This is after his death, and is a way of dramatizing the later part of the novel which is written in letter form. Students could consider how to characterise Jekyll to show his growing excitement at his brilliant plan, and how to characterise the other characters to show their reactions to Jekyll – are they disgusted, entranced, terrified, intrigued? Groups could perform their scenes and then give each other peer feedback on the performances. 8 Theme or context research Using the themes or context in this pack, you could cut up the information on each theme or element of context, and ask students to read summarise and present this information to the class. Alternatively you could ask students to go away and research a theme or element of context for homework, before they have read the information in this pack, and present their research to the class.