Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story isn't perhaps a natural choice for a musical, but actually it works well and today I find myself humming the songs and buying the MP3's (can't find Bitch Bitch Bitch) ... this has to be a good sign. At times I feel the show also has a split personality and can't quite decide if its a comedy or a gothic drama, but that doesn't get in the way.
The design for the staging is actually very simple, but flexible, and gives a good atmosphere and plenty of variety ... the laboratory was particularly good and I was delighted that we had no "disappear below the table and come out with a wig on" transformtion moments! In fact, the whole transformation to and fro was handled through differences in style and voice rather than huge effects - actually I prefered marti Pellow as Hyde, the voice was stronger and more natural .... ahh well, his fans were going to give him a huge ovation come what may! At the risk of being knifed in a dark back alley, isn't Me Pellow just a tad old to play the brialliant young scientist with more ideas than experience?
I loved Sarah Earnshaw's voice, it reminded me of those great 1930's musical films ... lovely to listen to as Emma - I was less impressd by Mark McGee's Utterson which never seemed to get into its stride. Sabrina Carter was unavailable so we were treated to Carolyn Maitland's Lucy - most delightful, an excellent performance. On the whole, performances were all good, if a little over amplified at times - but it did lack that "ensemble feel" you get when a cast are all on the same wavelength and really selling the show to you.
This is a good fun night out ....
