[NEohioPAL]Beko review: JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck Center)

[Roy Berko]

‘JEKYLL AND HYDE’ a must see at BECK!   Yes, a MUST
SEE!

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


Beck Center’s ‘JEKYLL AND HYDE’ is a must see!  

‘JEKYLL & HYDE’ is a musical based on the novel, “THE
STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE” by Robert
Louis Stevenson.  The show opens with Jekyll saying,
"In each of us there are two natures. If this
primitive duality of man: good and evil, could be
housed in separate identities, life would be relieved
of all that is unbearable. It is the curse of mankind
that these polar twins should be constantly
struggling."   

The play centers on Dr. Jekyll’s experimentation with
a drug that he perceives will  free patients from
mental anguish.  Since he cannot get funding for human
subjects to experiment upon, he tests the potion on
himself, thus releasing his evil alter ego.

The original novel’s vivid portrayal of the
psychopathology of a split personality is credited
with allowing mainstream society to identify the
phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" as bipolar behavior.

The musical’s original script conception was by Steve
Cuden and Frank Wildhorn. The music was composed by
Wildhorn and the lyrics written by Leslie Bricusse
(‘STOP THE WORLD, I WANT TO GET OFF’).

The show went through numerous rewrites in order to
try to develop a clear voice.  Many songs were added
and dropped from the original concept and the story
adjusted as the show went through many staged
readings, recordings and two national tours before its
Big Apple appearance.  Eventually, ‘JEKYLL AND HYDE’
opened on Broadway in April, 1997.  It ran for 1,543
performances, thanks to self-dubbed “Jekkies,” who saw
the show over-and-over and created an online
discussion group and role-playing games based on the
show in order to counter numerous negative reviews.

One such review stated, “the show was overwhelmed by a
muddy story adaptation, transparent lyrics and a
forgettable, old-fashioned score.  Lacking a point of
view, or even accessible characters, the show is cold.
 When Hyde goes on a killing spree in a musical
montage the number becomes bizarrely comic.  In a tale
of good and evil, there’s a problem when murders
elicit a giggle.”  In a year of virtually no
competition, ‘JEKYLL & HYDE’ was not even nominated in
the best musical category for a Tony Award.  

With that background, how can I enthusiastically state
that the Beck production is a must see?   The answer: 
Director Scott Spence, choreographer Martin Cespedes,
musical director Larry Goodpaster and a marvelous
cast, have taken a problematic play and made it into a
gem.  An absolute gem!

Spence has a clear vision for the show.  He envelops
his audience in the power of Stevenson’s original
concept.  He is blessed with the talented Dan Folino
portraying both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Folino gives
a tour-de-force performance.  His singing is
enthralling, his acting compelling.  The portrayal is
perfectly nuanced. especially his consistent obsessive
compulsive mannerisms, which do much to separate
Jekyll from Hyde.  His vocal presentations of “I Need
to Know,” “Take Me As I Am” (sung with Maggie Stahl),
”This is the Moment,” and “Confrontation” were
brilliant.

Furthering the excitement of the show are the glorious
voices of Maggie Stahl (Lisa Carew, Jekyll’s fiancé)
and Amiee Collier (Lucy Harris, a prostitute
befriended by Jekyll and bedded by Hyde.)   The duo
were compelling in “In His Eyes.”  Collier’s
renditions of “Someone Like You” and “A New Life”were
captivating.

Dana Hart (Sir Danvers Carew, Lisa’s father) and Ian
Atwood (John Utterson, Jekyll’s lawyer) also have
excellent singing voices and developed clear
characterizations.  The choral sounds are lyrical and
except for a male chorus member who upstaged others by
his overly affected gestures and constantly looking at
the audience instead of concentrating on the stage
action, the interactions of the supporting cast helped
create a proper tone.

The full-voiced orchestra (musical direction by Larry
Goodpaster) and the choreography (another gem of a
conception by Martin Cespedes) added to the over-all
positive effect.

Don McBride’s set, Alison Garrigan’s costumes and Trad
Burns lighting also greatly helped.  The only
technical flaw were the finicky microphones that
didn’t consistently work and the overly loud volume
when they did.  (Oh for the days when shows were not
miked and the performers were required to project on
their own.   This cast might have done well without
the electrical help.)

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  A standing “O” for Scott Spence,
Dan Folino and the cast and crew of ‘JEKYLL AND HYDE.’
 Please, you of the Cleveland area, support this
production.  It deserves full houses every night!

‘JEKYLL & HYDE’ runs through August 5  at The Beck
Center for the Arts in Lakewood.  For ticket
information call 216-521-2540.


Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


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