It’s not often that you get chance to
see something new, for which you have no preconceived ideas and have been able
to avoid any previous reviews. Whilst many have read the story of Dr
Jekyll and Mr Hyde, there are few who have seen it as a musical and even fewer
who will have enjoyed such a powerful and professional production as Darlington
Operatic Society are performing.
With the story closely following Robert
Louis Stevensons’s classic gothic tale, this deep view of the human psyche
exposes the fundamental challenges everybody has; there is good and evil in us
all, it is how we control them that determines who we are.
For this performance, the eponymous lead
is played by Luke Oldfield who, from the very first scene, is the
quintessential Victorian scientist, long hair tied back, resplendent in
waistcoat and presenting with the clipped accent of the London elite. His
appeal to the governing body for their approval to continue his experiments is
almost Darwinian yet, even at this apparent sane stage, he is able to convey a
deeper desire, a drive to succeed and a passion to do so at all costs,
especially when they all vote to refuse him his request and so sew the seeds of
hatred which grow into the actions of murder.
The gentleman doctor is engaged to be
married to socialite Emma Carew (played by the one and only Beth Hopper whose
voice is instantly recognisable and as warm and welcome as summer rain) so he
finds his passions for science somewhat constrained by the expected façade of
society. Torn between playing the expected love struck fiancée and his
true passion for scientific discovery, it is when the good Doctor assumes his
alter ego that Luke goes though a metamorphosis which would rival many CGI
driven movies.
His long hair becomes an unkept mass,
his body seems to grow to almost twice his size and the menace he exudes is
simply terrifying. At first you will find yourself checking that there
are not two actors but no, it is simply a masterclass to any actor on how to
drive a character into the heart of the performance. Driven by his being
shunned by his peers, Hyde sets out to wreak his own sense of justice, with
murderous intent.
As the Doctor begins to wrestle with his
inner demon he seeks solace with Lucy, a hard candy coated, soft centred
working girl who sees in Dr Jekyll a turmoil and anguish she can relate
to. Sadly for both her and the doc, Mr Hyde also sees Lucy as someone he
can engage with, and despite, or perhaps because, of Jekyll's affections, he
sets out to destroy her. Jessica Harrison, as Lucy, is outstanding.
Often such platitudes are used lightly but here it is so very much deserved and
as the 3rd person in a triangle of turmoil, she plays the innocent
loser with such passion and compassion that it is hard not to be moved to
tears.
The sets and costumes for this
production are steeped in Victoriana – elegant gowns and capes of high society
are played off against the rags and squalor of the London slums while the
soundtrack is very much akin to the depth and magnitude of Les Miserables –
anthemic themes are balanced against soulful solos.
Darlington Operatic Society are widely
heralded as the region’s best amateur theatre company but this production
surely elevates them into a new and exciting division – I doubt that there are
many, if any, companies across the whole UK who can deliver such a polished and
professional performance. As someone who now works in London, this is a
performance that would not be out of place amongst the West End – for the
people of Darlington, you must go and see this.
Running from October 23rd
until 2nd November at Darlington Hippodrome, Tickets are on sale now
by calling the Ticket Hotline on 01325 244659 or online at www.darlingtonos.org.uk.
DISCLAIMER Neither DOS nor your author
can be held liable for any nightmares following this show.
Advisory 12 years+
