Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Acting Edition for Theater Productions) by Jeffrey Hatcher

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Acting Edition for Theater Productions) Reviews

• 
  Dana Cordelia

  Finally got the opportunity to read the script, after seeing it performed years ago in San Jose. I love this interpretation.
• 
  Patrick Neylan

  First, this brings the story to the stage in a way provides the drama that isn't obvious in the original novella. Dramatically, it works, even if it requires the audience to use their imagination by seeing one Jekyll and four Hydes.
  
  So forgive me if this review concentrates on what's wrong with the script. It's a good play.
  
  There's a bit of sloppiness that surprised me, considering this was written by Jeffrey Hatcher who wrote the marvellous Compleat Female Stage Beauty. Part of that comes from him being an American imagining English dialogue of the 19th century (no Jeff, an Englishman would not misuse 'moot' in that way) but he also gets some of the logic wrong. Acting it on stage I had to rewrite one line because it didn't make sense, and I wanted to rewrite another but it wasn't my line. In both cases, the line meant the complete opposite of what the character meant.
  
  But the worst thing is that this play is published by The Dramatists Play Service Inc, an odious, loathsome organisation that should be shunned by any theatre group. Despite us already having copies of the script, they insisted that buying the rights entailed them sending copies of the script with £60 post & packaging, even though it surely couldn't have cost more than £10. And the script is laid out in such a way as to make it devilishly difficult for actors to learn. Nobody has laid out scripts like that in 40 years, confusing stage directions with dialogue.
• 
  Edward Cheer

  I was surprised that this stage adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde was written by the same playwright who adapted Nikolai Gogol's Government Inspector. While the show wasn't the best in quality and it was hard to focus on the quality of writing because of the directing and acting, I can say the script is... okay.
  
  I've never read Jekyll and Hyde before, so I don't know how faithful of an adaptation this is to the Stevenson novel, but the imagery and narrative structures are very creative. It was unique to see how most of the characters dressed as Hyde and were given the cane and would transform into the darker half of Jekyll- implying this thematic idea that everyone has a darker side, everyone lacks a soul.
  
  The narrative structure also makes the play come across more as a collection of letters and documents acted on stage, similar to Leroux's framework in Phantom of the Opera. It's a unique format that I enjoy a lot, and I think it lended itself well to a story like this.
  
  However... this story is very cheesy and so many parts of it had me wondering if it was the over-the-top acting of the production I saw, or the actual quality of writing itself. I've come to the conclusion that it was a little of both. Some of the dialogue is very melodramatic and the characters (While portrayed in very ridiculous manners by the actors) were written to be portrayed in very over-the-top interpretations.
  
  I'm willing to read the play or see some other versions of this play in the future for a better re-evaluation but for the most part it's alright. There were some effective scenes here and there (mostly the murder scenes), but the rest of it was just too ridiculous for me to take seriously.
• 
  Emilie

  It's a decent, unique adaptation, but something did not grab me.
• 
  Maleja

  El re plot twist. Muy psicológico y misterioso
• 
  Mat

  Interesting re-imagining of the old story. Incredibly theatrical which was very cool. Also it moved with great pace and had a very interesting dramatic irony to it. Because we all know a little about the story, it actually played well in experiencing it. Always waiting for something bad to happen.
• 
  Glynnis

  What a good play! I'm auditioning for this one, too and I love the concept! A small ensemble cast with lots of cool imagery built into the action. Fingers crossed!
  
  
• 
  Nan

  Mr. Hyde lives in us all. I can't wait to see this staged.
• 
  Gina Guesby Mays

  It's not bad. I don't get the love story in the second act, but it's not bad.
• 
  Kristin

  Fascinating adaptation. Really liked how it used a small ensemble to fill many roles. Also really liked that each actor played Hyde at various points. Good script.