4 – 11 November
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s presentation of Jekyll and Hyde is a reimagining of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic novella adapted by Evan Placey.
Female characters come to the forefront as Hattie Jekyll continues her late husband’s abortive research and begins a foray into challenging the patriarchy across the generations.
There are playful elements, a competent use of performance in the round and some pleasant touches, but unfortunately, like the story itself, the bad far overshadowed the good.
The set is simple, with several raised platforms in the centre of the Tobacco Factory’s famous pillars. However, a decision to use a variety of mirrored panes cluttered the stage and the constant, repetitive moving of the clunky, not diaphanous enough, panels consistently slowed proceedings down. The panels were clearly intended to expose the duality of self, but only masked what was happening, concealing more than they revealed.
Equally painfully, sometimes literally, small boxes were regularly picked up and placed about the stage to no real effect, further putting the brake on the narrative flow. The first night was littered with mishaps with clumsy use of props, several of which were dropped, while actors tripped up on the platforms and boxes more than should be expected.
This is a shame because undoubtedly many of the cast had real potential. Hafsah Godsil as Harriet Jekyll and her alter ego Flossie Hyde took centre stage, but the direction constantly pushed her to the side. Over fussy ensemble blocking slowed the pace, as did the use of video projection on one side wall. Apart from an opening sequence of a wild animal, it contributed nothing at all to the plot. This was one of several instances that illustrated the adage that just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you have to.
Of course, this production consists of students who are still honing their craft, so it’s understandable that it lacks the polish and flair of a fully professional show. However, it did not meet the expected standard. Some of the diction in the second half was rushed and garbled and there were several instances when very audible animated whispering by actors leaving the stage could be clearly heard in the auditorium.
The second half took an abrupt turn towards a more contemporary setting, but the story continued to lack a viable thread. Much of the action remained one paced and although scenes featuring the male and female courtesans livened it up, they were not shocking enough to excite. Sound and motion interruptions signifying a modern-day interference worked to a degree, but the actions did not always synchronise and only served to irritate.
Ultimately, this was a missed opportunity and we can only hope that the actors get further opportunities to impress in future productions which have less elaborate direction and a greater discipline, telling a story in a coherent, engaging way to enthuse an audience.
★★☆☆☆ Bryan J Mason, 5 November, 2023
Photo credit: Craig Fuller
