| rev:text
| - Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde March 2008
This was a brilliantly acted production of a story it seemed we didn't need to hear again... but we did. An incredibly strong ensemble cast, and a script that has moments of great insight, even if there are some weak spots (Anna Bullard overcame huge obstacles in her excellent portrayal of Elizabeth - Elizabeth should be a complicated, fascinating character, and Jeffrey Hatcher doesn't give Bullard nearly enough to build such a character). On a related note, I don't know what homeslice Calamari (see below) was thinking, Carrie Paff was fantastic in this production! Her sexual Hyde brought a new level of complexity to the part, adding a disturbingly seductive facet to Hyde's persona; her casting as both the servant Poole and Hyde was also an inspired choice, as it upsets the seemingly placid waters of the aristocratic, all-male world in which Jekyll believes himself to be navigating.
Robert Wright's Jekyll is a nuanced, insightful reading of a great nineteenth century Faustian figure; this is where Hatcher's writing was strongest, and Wright's performance offers a fascinating perspective on both the moral ambition and moral weakness of this character. Mark Phillips's Hyde was also quite brilliant; his physical work is especially evocative of Hyde's misshapen soul.
I saw the show in both Tucson and Phoenix, and it was worth seeing multiple times! The folks in San Jose, CA, will be getting a real treat in May, where the cast will be putting the show on next.
|