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Around The World In 80 Days docking at Salford Quays this Christmas.

Around The World in 80 Days
Tue 5 Dec 2017 – Sun 7 Jan 2018

The New Vic Theatre’s celebrated production of Jules Verne’s Around The World in 80 Days adapted by Laura Eason and directed by Theresa Heskinscomes to The Lowry this Christmas (Tue 5 Dec 2017 – Sun 7 Jan 2018).

Theresa Heskins’ production of Around The World in 80 Days first premiered at the New Vic Theatre in 2013 followed by a successful season at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester in 2014. Nominated for both the UK Theatre Awards ‘Best New Production’ and the Manchester Theatre Awards ‘Best Show for Children and Families.’

The mysterious and fabulously wealthy Phileas Fogg wagers his life’s fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days. Join Fogg and his loyal valet, Passepartout, as they voyage from the misty alleys of Victorian London to the exotic subcontinent and the Wild West in a race against the clock.

An ensemble cast of eight play over 125 characters in an imaginative and physically inventive high-spirited escapade including six trains, five boats, four fights, three dances, two circus acts and an elephant!

Marking 10 years as artistic director of the New Vic Theatre, Theresa Heskins’recent directing credits include: ‘The Snow Queen,’ ‘Peter Pan in Scarlet,’ ‘Kiss Me Quickstep,’ ‘Robin Hood & Marian,’ ‘Dracula,’ ‘The Borrowers,’ ‘The Hundred and One Dalmatians,’ ‘Widowers’ Houses,’ ‘A Christmas Carol,’ ‘Far from the Madding Crowd,’ ‘Where Have I Been All My Life?,’ to name a few. In 2015 she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of the Arts for services to theatre and for her cultural contribution to North Staffordshire.

Around The World in 80 Days is directed by Theresa Heskins and designed byLis Evans, with movement direction by Beverley Edmunds, music composed by James Atherton, lighting designed by Alexandra Stafford and sound designed by James Earls-Davis. Kenny Wax Family Entertainment andSimon Friend present The New Vic Theatre Production in association with the Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester

Listings Information 
Around The World in 80 Days
Date: Tue 5 Dec 2017 – Sun 7 Jan 2018
Time: Tue – Sat 7pm. Tue & Sat 2.30pm (exc 5th/26th Dec). Sun 5.30pm (except 24th 2.30pm).
Tickets: £22 – £31. Concessions £2 off (Selected performances)
Website

Access Listings
Audio Described: Tue 12 Dec, 2.30pm
Relaxed Performance: Tue 19 Dec, 2.30pm
Captioned Performance: Fri 22 Dec, 7pm
British Sign Language: Tue 4 Jan, 7pm    

Daniel Boys, Simon Lipkin and Sarah Earnshaw star in the world premiere of Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s production of NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL which opens at Birmingham Repertory Theatre on Friday 20 October 2017. Following the run in Birmingham, the show will play Southend Cliffs Pavilion, Sheffield Lyceum, Manchester Palace, Plymouth Theatre Royal, a London season at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo and a Christmas season at Leeds Grand Theatre.

Every child in every school has one Christmas wish, to star in a Nativity, and at St Bernadette’s School they’ve decided to mount a musical version! Join teacher Mr Maddens and his crazy assistant Mr Poppy as they struggle with hilarious children, unruly animals and a whole lot of sparkle and shine to make everyone’s Christmas wish come true. Featuring all of your favourite sing-a-long songs from the smash-hit films including Sparkle and Shine, Nazareth and One Night One Moment. NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL promises to be the perfect feel-good comedy for all the family.

www.nativitythemusical.com

ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?

Able UK confirms £200,000 donation to boost Darlington Hippodrome’s Capital Fundraising

Darlington Hippodrome is celebrating the news that Able UK Ltd has awarded the theatre a grant of £200,000 to help transform the building as part of the major £12.3 million capital works. The generous donation will fund the new heritage seats within the theatre’s auditorium helping to complete the transformation of the Edwardian building in a return to its original opulence.

Able UK is the market leader in the field of demolition and marine decommissioning and is now a significant land developer and port operator. The funding has been made available through their LandTrust Community Fund which provides funding for projects ranging from repair of historical buildings to provision of leisure amenities and reclamation of disused land.

Peter Stephenson, Executive Chairman of Able UK said, ‘As a business owned and manager in Teesside we are naturally committed to support the ongoing development of the area that has been our base for over 50 years. It is particularly pleasing to be able to be associated with such a prestigious project and one that will provide so much entertainment, and comfort, to audiences that, just like our own customers, will be attracted from far and wide.’

The regeneration, made possible by funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will restore and expand the theatre, which was originally opened in September 1907 as the New Hippodrome and Palace Theatre of Varieties.

Lynda Winstanley, Director of Darlington Hippodrome, said: ‘We are delighted that Able UK has chosen to support Darlington Hippodrome’s restoration in this way. The backing of local partners is vital in making this project a success and we are excited to see the beautiful heritage style seating within the restored auditorium’.

ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL

BASED ON THE STORY OF THE SMALL FACES

TO PLAY LIMITED WEST END SEASON

AT ARTS THEATRE

6 FEBRUARY TO 11 MARCH 2018

WITH NATIONAL PRESS NIGHT ON THURSDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2018

CAST ALBUM RELEASED TODAY, TUESDAY 10 OCTOBER 2017

Following a third, critically acclaimed, sell-out tour, ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL,based on the story of the Small Faces, will play a limited West End season at the Arts Theatre, London from 6 February to 11 March 2018, with a press night on Thursday 8 February.  The producers of ALL OR NOTHING are also delighted to announce the release of a 29-track cast recording, as well as a limited edition 15-track blue vinyl LP, available from today, Tuesday 10 October 2017, from venues hosting the show on the current tour, as well as from the show website, www.allornothingmusical.com, and, when it is playing there, from the Arts Theatre.

Written and directed by the award-winning actress Carol Harrison, ALL OR NOTHING is the story of four charismatic young kids from East London with humour, attitude, passion and, above all, talent.  They became the Small Faces and were rocketed into the big time, only to discover the path to success is paved with exploitation, betrayal and, ultimately, tragedy. 

The cast at the Arts Theatre will be led by Carol Harrison as Kay Marriott and Chris Simmons as the older Steve Marriott.  Further casting is to be announced.

In 1965, a new phenomenon erupted out of London’s East End.  It was the essence of all that was cool.  It was Mod.  ALL OR NOTHING follows the rise and demise of the Small Faces, the band who encapsulated all that was Mod – a unique blend of taste and testosterone, clothes-obsessed and street-wise – but most of all, a dedication to rhythm ‘n’ blues.  The musical celebrates the unique sound of this iconic Mod band, with all the Small Faces’ hits, including Whatcha Gonna Do About It, Tin Soldier, Lazy Sunday, Here Comes the Nice, Itchycoo Park and, of course, All or Nothing.

Carol Harrison said of the West End transfer, “I am honoured that ALL OR NOTHING has been embraced by so many wonderful audiences who have laughed, danced, wept and sang with us across the length and breadth of the country.  I am so thrilled that we can now bring the ALL OR NOTHING experience to the West End.  Watch out, ‘cos the Mods are coming ……Or maybe we just never went away!”

Carol Harrison is probably best known for her role as Louise Raymond in EastEnders.  Other television roles include seven years as Gloria in Brushstrokes, Loretta opposite Ray Winstone in Get Back, and Dorothy in two series of London’s Burning.  Carol’s theatre work includes Michael Rudman’s production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman at the National, Ripen Our Darknessat the Royal Court, Alan Parker’s production of Alfie at the Liverpool Playhouse and Lee Hall’s Cooking with Elvis at the Lyceum Theatre, Crewe.  She was also a founder member of Half Moon Theatre in London’s East End.  Her film credits include The Elephant Man, Quadrophenia and Human Traffic.

Chris Simmons is probably best known for playing the role of DC Mickey Webb for over twelve years in the long running ITV series The Bill.  He has also appeared in EastEnders as Mark Garland and in the Tracy Beaker spin-off CBBC show, The Dumping Ground.  Chris’s theatre credits include Alan Ayckbourn’s Absent Friends (Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage), Entertaining Strangers (Lyric Hammersmith), Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (tour), Iago in Othello(tour) and Epicoene (Tristan Bates Theatre).

The show is endorsed and supported by many of those who feature in its story, including singer P.P. Arnold and Steve Marriott’s daughter, Mollie Marriott, who is the show’s vocal coach and creative consultant.

ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL is directed by Carol Harrison, with musical supervision by Pat Davey.  ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL is produced in the West End by Rock ‘n’ Roll Productions.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL

6 February – 11 March 2018

Arts Theatre

6-7 Great Newport St

London WC2H 7JB

Performances:  Tue – Sat 7.30pm*, Thurs, Sat and Sun matinees 3pm (*Thursday 8 Feb 7pm)

Running Time:  2 hours, 35 mins, including interval

Tickets:  From £19.50

Box Office:  020 7836 8463

N.B.  Contains strong language

www.allornothingmusical.com

@AONTheMusical

FIRST LOOK AT OFFICIAL PRODUCTION PHOTOS FOR

RECORD-BREAKING

CABARET

STARRING WILL YOUNG & LOUISE REDKNAPP

RUFUS NORRIS’ ACCLAIMED TOURING PRODUCTION OF KANDER AND EBB’S MUSICAL MASTERPIECE

Rufus Norris’ CABARET starring WILL YOUNG, who reprises his award-winning performance as the Emcee, and LOUISE REDKNAPP, making her stage debut as Sally Bowles, is breaking records at the box office as the production begins its UK tour.

Playing to packed houses at the New Wimbledon Theatre where the production opened on 21 September and broke box office records for a 12-show run, CABARET is proving a hit with audiences across the country as sales of the landmark musical are exceeding expectations. At Theatre Royal in Brighton, CABARET is officially the highest grossing single week-long musical in the theatre’s history, and at Malvern Theatre, the show’s sales have smashed records as the highest grossing single week-long musical or play.

Currently in Malvern Theatre, CABARET continues its autumn tour until 9 December, and visits Cardiff New Theatre, Leeds Grand Theatre, Milton Keynes Theatre, The Lowry in Salford, Edinburgh Playhouse, Churchill Theatre Bromley, Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and Brighton Theatre Royal.

CABARET features show-stopping choreography, dazzling costumes and some of the most iconic songs in musical theatre including ‘Money Makes The World Go Round’, ‘Two Ladies’ ‘Maybe This Time’ and of course ‘Cabaret’. The production turns Weimar Berlin of 1931 into a sassy, sizzling haven of decadence, and at its dark heart is the legendary and notorious Emcee, who performs nightly at the infamous Kit Kat Klub.

Since its Broadway premiere in 1966 and the famous movie version with Liza Minnelli and Oscar winner Joel Grey, CABARET has won a staggering number of stage and screen awards including 8 Oscars, 7 BAFTAs and 13 Tonys. Norris’ production has enjoyed two smash hit West End runs and has picked up 2 Olivier Awards.

Internationally renowned singer/songwriter, WILL YOUNG, reprises his Olivier Award-nominated performance as the enigmatic Emcee. Ever since winning the inaugural series of Pop Idol in 2001, Will Young has been one of the UK’s most popular and successful music artists. He holds the record for the fastest selling debut single in British chart history, and has enjoyed a phenomenal career in music with four No1 albums, as well as acting alongside Dame Judi Dench in the film Mrs. Henderson Presents.

LOUISE REDKNAPP rose to fame as a member of the girl group Eternal. She left the band to carve out a successful solo career achieving an impressive twelve Top 20 singles, including the hits Naked and Stuck in the Middle and selling over 5 million records with 5 albums. Since then she has rarely left our television screens and most recently wowed the nation with her dancing skills finishing ‘runner up’ in the 2016 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The cast also includes Susan Penhaligon as Fraulein Schneider. Best known from the popular television series Bouquet of Barbed Wire and the sitcom A Fine Romance with Judi Dench, Susan’s film appearances include Under Milk Wood, The Land That Time Forgot and Paul Verhoeven’s Soldier of Orange. Extensive stage credits across the UK include Dangerous Obsession, Mrs Warren’s Profession and The Constant Wife. West End credits include Three Sisters and The Real Thing.

Joining her are: Basienka Blake (Fraulein Kost), Linal Haft (Herr Schultz), Charles Hagerty (Cliff Bradshaw) and Nick Tizzard (Ernst Ludwig). The company is completed by Maria Garrett, Sophie Hirst, Luke Jackson, Katrina Kleve, Jordan Livesey, Liam Marcellino, Alicia Mencia, Jack Mitchell, Hannah Nicholas, Helen Siveter and Matthew Wesley.

Rufus Norris is Director of the National Theatre and a multi-award winning theatre and opera director. For the National Theatre, he has directed The Threepenny Opera, wonder.land, Everyman, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, The Amen Corner, Table, London Road (Critics Circle Award), Death and the King’s Horseman, Market Boy. Other theatre includes Vernon God Little (Young Vic), Les Liasons Dangerouses (Broadway – five Tony Award nominations), Festen (West End and Broadway) The Country Girl (Apollo) and Afore Night Came at the Young Vic (Evening Standard Award). Film credits include London Road and Broken.

Choreography is by Javier De Frutos who won the Olivier Award for his work on this original production of Cabaret.  Named by the Evening Standard as one of 2016 most influential people, he’s one of only three artists in the history of the Olivier Awards to receive nominations in all dance categories. Other awards include an Evening Standard Award for The Most Incredible Thing in collaboration with Pet Shop Boys, Critics’ Circle Awards for Milagros with Royal New Zealand Ballet and Fiction for BalletBoyz named Best of Dance by The Arts Desk and Top 10 by the Guardian for 2016.

BILL KENWRIGHT PRESENTS CABARET

Book by JOE MASTEROFF Music by JOHN KANDER Lyrics by FREDD EBB

Based on the play by JOHN VAN DRUTEN and Stories by CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD

Salisbury Playhouse – until 14 October.  Reviewed by Sharon MacDonald Armitage

3***

When an announcement is placed in Chipping Cleghorn’s daily paper stating a murder will take place in the home of Letitia Blacklock (Janet Dibley) at 6.30pm that evening it is greeted with both incredulity and dark humour. However, despite no one having knowledge of placing the notice, it doesn’t stop a number of locals arriving at Blacklock’s house to see what ensues. Cue the striking clock, a blackout, and gunshots and you have the opening of one of Agatha Christie’s well known novels.

Adapted for stage by Leslie Darbon, there is most certainly the essence of Christie’s novel, albeit with some changes. There is the stereotypical blundering police officer, Inspector Craddock (Tom Butcher), the rather abrupt cook Mitzi (Lydia Piechowiak), the forgetful companion Dora Bunner (Sarah Thomas) and the iconic busy body Miss Marple (Louise Jameson). Peppered with a number of waifs, strays and distant family members you may think this is enough to make for a challenging evening of sleuthing and detection. However, it became a slight caricature of life in a 1950’s English village.

Janet Dibley gave a good solid performance as Blacklock and commanded the stage throughout. The set allowed for a clear view of Dibley’s stage craft and if you know the plot and outcome there are tell-tale signs of what is to come.

Louise Jameson’s Marple is an oddity as she is not the interfering, sharp of brain, little old lady we see in the novels and many TV and film adaptations. There is something rather comical and vacant about her. Rather than at the centre of the investigation, we are not shown her inquisitive skills until the final act when she starts discussing things with Inspector Craddock. This is where we see Marple as many would expect, which makes the latter part of the play more engaging.

It is difficult to know what the audience thought as there was a lot of giggling and laughing at what did not seem appropriate times.  The humour was there with Piechowiak’s maid Mitzi and with Thomas’ Bunner. But it did seem the audience found humour where there was not supposed to be any.

The costumes for this production are rather charming and plentiful and totally in keeping with the era as is the set which is open and allows all characters to be seen clearly as they move around it.

Overall this is a decent production, but it lacks the finesse of an individual’s imagination when reading the novels. Those that do not know Christie’s work and do not know this plot, will possibly get more out of it than those that do.  

Newcastle Theatre Royal – until 14 October 2017

5*****

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard arrives at the beautiful Theatre Royal in Newcastle for a new week on its new UK tour.

Joe Gillis (the incredibly talented Danny Mac) is a skint screenwriter, hustling studio execs for money or a job.  In a bid to shake off debt collectors after his car, he ends up at 10086 Sunset Boulevard the home of faded movie star Norma Desmond (the phenomenal Ria Jones).

Mistaken for the undertaker he waits while Desmond sings a lament to her dead companion, a pet monkey.  Discovering Gillis is a writer she invites him to read her new screenplay, Salome.  This is the film that will see Desmond return to the silver screen, playing the title role herself.

Kept a virtual prisoner by Desmond and her manservant Max (Adam Pearce – whose vocals are both tender and commanding), he manages to escape to New Year Party at Schwab’s after Desmond declares her love for him.  He bumps into his friend Artie (Dougie Carter) and his fiancee Betty (Molly Lynch) who wants to write a screenplay with Gillis.  It’s during the party that Gillis discovers in his rejection of Desmond she has cut her wrists with his razor.  He returns back to her, his life now bound as tightly to her as the bandages bound around her cut wrists.

The songs are the thing for this show, Lloyd Webber’s luscious music and powerful lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.  A triumphant masterpiece, brought to life by Adrian Kirk and his 16-piece orchestra.  Charismatic but calculating, Danny Mac’s Gillis, sings and acts with impressive commitment and talent, particularly in the show’s powerful title song “Sunset Boulevard”.  Barely off stage, his is a complex portrayal that mines the darkness of his character beautifully.  Ria Jones presents a masterclass in performance as she plays to the whole audience from the stalls to the gallery.  Her hauntingly beautiful versions of “With One Look” and “The Greatest Star of All” introduce you to her bewilderment of no longer acting and her fragile emotional state.  But it’s in the second act where she sings “As if we Never Said Goodbye” that Jones stops the show with the power of her vocals, articulating all the facets of Norma’s psyche, from the pride and glory of her past, clinging to her dreams and her sanity.

When it is revealed that Max is really her first film director Max Von Meyerling, and her first husband, Gillis understands the strange facade in which he has been trapped and tries to leave to be with Betty, with whom he has fallen in love whilst writing with her.

It’s easy to see why Max needs to protect “Madam”, keeping up the pretence she is still a huge star but maybe if he had been a bit more honest it might have had less fatal consequences for all.

This is an emotional roller coaster of a night out.  A full scale spectacular from the sets to the band, to the blistering climax. Sunset Boulevard is possibly the greatest masterpiece from the Lloyd Webber repertoire, the shining jewel in his theatrical crown.

Matthew Kelly and Josefina Gabrielle to star in the world premiere stage adaptation of magical Christmas book The Box of Delights by Piers Torday based on the novel by John Masefield at Wilton’s Music Hall

·        Cast announced today for enchanting reworking of Christmas classic by John Masefield

·        Reimagined by top children’s author Piers Torday and director Justin Audibert and designed by Tom Piper

·        All new production presented by Wilton’s Music Hall and Hero Productions

·        Running 01 December – 06 January

National treasure Matthew Kelly and West End superstar Josefina Gabrielle are to star in the brand-new stage adaptation of The Box of Delights, it has been announced today. This original production is the first time Poet Laureate John Masefield’s festive classic has been reimagined for the stage, and will be brought to life by an ensemble cast in the gloriously Christmassy surroundings of Wilton’s Music Hall.

Joining Kelly and Gabrielle as part of the stellar cast will be Mark Extance, Safiyya Ingar, Tom Kanji, Samuel Simmonds, Rosalind Steele and Alistair Toovey.

Matthew Kelly is an Olivier-award winning actor best known for television and stage acting and presenting family favourites Stars In Their Eyes and Game For a Laugh. Having appeared in several West End productions; Of Mice and Men, Waiting For Godot, Funny Peculiar and Sign of the Times to name a few, Matthew has most recently been appearing in Desire Under The Elms at the Sheffield Crucible. Three-time Olivier-nominated Josefina Gabrielle has appeared in countless West End shows, including Stepping Out, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Sweet Charity and Merrily We Roll Along. Her television credits include Miranda, Doctors, Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Heartbeat.

The original great British children’s literary classic, which has inspired authors from C S Lewis to J K Rowling, The Box Of Delights was reinvented as an award-winning BBC television show in the 1980s and became an instant cult classic, creating a fanbase of thousands around the world. This brand-new stage show, written by beloved children’s author Piers Torday whose work includes the bestselling Last Wild trilogy and new novel There May Be A Castle, tells the story of young orphan Kay Harker, the boy who must save Christmas. On the train home for the holidays he encounters an old magician, Cole Hawlings, who tasks Kay with protecting his Box of Delights, a wondrous device with time travelling powers. And so begins a tale of adventure that transports Kay through time and space, as he must protect the Box against Cole’s nemesis, the evil sorcerer Abner Brown.

Matthew Kelly says ‘I couldn’t be more delighted to be returning to Wilton’s, a magical venue and the perfect setting for the Christmas classic The Box of Delights. How they will achieve the effects of snow, flood, talking animals, miniaturised children and flying cars in this exciting time-travel adventure I have no idea. If anybody can do it, Justin Audibert directing and Tom Piper designing can and that’s why I’m on board. Hurrah.’

Josefina Gabrielle says ‘I’m so excited to be joining the cast of The Box of Delights. And I can’t wait to see what this incredible creative team has in store for us in bringing this wonderful story to life at the very special Wilton’s Music Hall this Christmas.’

Packed with Christmas spirit, festive fun and magic, this classic family show is brought to life by an acclaimed creative team including Director Justin Audibert (Royal Shakespeare Company; National Theatre) and Olivier award-winning Designer Tom Piper and takes place in the wonderful Wilton’s Music Hall, a venue so Christmassy the smell of mulled wine positively oozes from the walls…

Greenwich Theatre 4 – 7 October, touring until 29 November and January– March 2018.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

Blackeyed Theatre’s touring production of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde is suitably dark and atmospheric. Nick Lane’s adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic adds a pivotal new female character, raising questions about Jekyll’s motivations and character before Hyde surfaces.

Henry Jekyll, weak and suffering from an unnamed malady, is passionate about his research in the new field of neuroscience, convinced that chemical experimentation on the brain can affect personality and behaviour. As his animal experiments reach their limit, he begins to search the many asylums for human subjects. When his unethical and lethal experiments are discovered by a close friend, Jekyll is finally desperate enough to test his formula on himself and transforms into Edward Hyde. Hyde is physically powerful but has no morals, and his violent actions create chaos and fear.

The cast of four constantly move chairs around the stage to define different rooms in front of the wooden backdrop, and play multiple roles expertly. Huge praise on press night for the cast’s professionalism – if I were Hyde I’d have waded into the mob of GCSE students and used my cane on them. The giggling, chatting and constant unwrapping of endless supplies of sweets was a little distracting to say the least, but the cast soldiered on. It bemuses me that these teenagers can maim and kill in video and watch softporn like Game of Thrones without blinking an eye, but the sight of two fully clothed adults kissing live on stage makes them gasp and giggle like six-year olds.

Jack Bannell impresses as Jekyll and Hyde. There are no fancy tricks for the transformation between the two characters – simply an eerily convulsing giant shadow convulsing as Bannell writhes on the floor for the first occasion, followed by diminishing physical signals until Hyde and Jekyll switch with a mere shrug from Bannell. No theatrical tricks are used to disguise Hyde, Bannell simply changes his gait from a tremulous limp to an animalistic loping stride, deepens his voice a shade, and glares at the world with contempt. Ashley Sean-Cook as Hastings Lanyon is the moral compass of the play, decent and upright and full of horror at Jekyll’s cruelty to animals and humans in his experiments. His wife Eleanor Landon is an interesting character, played passionately by Paige Round. An Irish music hall singer, bored with her decent but dull husband, she gets involved with Jekyll’s research and they fall in love. It is Eleanor who goads Jekyll into taking the formula, and she and Hyde begin a physical affair. This is all just a bit soapy for me. I understand Lake was inspired by Stevenson’s wife’s strident support of her husband, but the histrionics got a little too much for me, muddying the reasons behind Jekyll’s choices. Zach Lee as lawyer/narrator Gabriel Utterson has the tough job of keeping long passages of exposition entertaining, and largely succeeds, but this is another problem for me. At least 20 minutes could be shaved off the play to tighten the narrative and stop the pace flagging. There are some tense scenes, most notably the slowmo attack by Hyde on a passing stranger, but this is a now familiar device, no matter how well it is done, and a lot of the play is taken up by dry passages directed at the audience.

Blackeyed Theatre’s adaptation of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde is a decent attempt at adding a feminine touch to the novel with strong performances all round.