A Utah Theater Review by B.J. Wright
Jekyll and Hyde is a heart-wrenching story about the good and evil that each man battles inside. Dr. Jekyll has a noble ambition of separating the good from the evil, and getting rid of man’s evil tendencies. Though he is warned not to play God by many who care for him, Dr. Jekyll is convinced what he is doing is right. As forewarned, his experiments go wrong and the evil Mr. Hyde is released to terrorize London. In his struggle to regain control Dr. Jekyll Asks the question, “Am I a good man? Am I a mad man?” and realizes “It’s such a fine line between a good man and a bad.”
I had the pleasure of driving to Magna to see this thought provoking musical put on by the Empress Theatre. I had never been to the Empress before, but will definitely be back in the future. It is a small theater tucked at the end of a quaint street. I felt very at home as I entered the building. The staff greeted me with a friendly hello, and the foyer was filled with pictures of the cast in costume for the upcoming show. The energy in the atmosphere filled me with anticipation for a great show.
The greatest strength in this show was the ensemble! Every time the streets of London came to life I was thrilled to hear, see, and feel the messages the actors were sharing. I could feel the absurdity of the mask society wears in “Façade” and the fear coursing through the streets in “Murder, Murder.” Working with so many people in such a small space must have been difficult, but I enjoyed how director Nancy Jensen and choreographer Kylee Ogzewalla used the space to tell the story. Having sung many of the ensemble numbers, I was also impressed with the musicality of their performance. I did miss the intensity the chords sung by the ensemble bring at the end of the song “Alive.” Bring some intensity to those chords and everyone will have chills running down their spines!
I also enjoyed the performance of Eric Barney as Henry Jekyll. He was really able to portray his frustration when the board of directors didn’t believe in his grand experiment. To me he really was Dr. Jekyll. During “This is the Moment” I was glad to see a range of emotions such as excitement, fear, doubt, and confidence. Barney did so well with Jekyll, that I had high expectations for his portrayal of Hyde. Though he gave a valiant effort, and his vocals were always spot on, he fell a little flat in his portrayal of Hyde. Often the transformation went a little too far and bordered on being comical, and other times the transformation wasn’t big enough. With this only being opening night, I hope Barney will continue to develop Mr. Hyde and bring just the right amount of creepy each time.
The two leading ladies also deserve recognition for their portrayals of Emma Carew (Andrea K. Fife) and Lucy Harris (Sarah Johnson). As Lucy, Johnson was very effortlessly able to communicate the hope she found as Dr. Jekyll treated her as a person and not just an object. I could feel her joy in “Someone Like You,” and still have chills running up my spine when I think of her haunting voice echoing the phrase repeated multiple times throughout the show “I feel your fingers, Cold on my shoulder…” Fife was expertly able to take the audience on a different roller coaster of emotions; being in love, being hurt by the one she loves, and finally realizing “Love is worth forgiving for!”
Actors alone can’t bring a show to life. A lot of work behind the scenes helps this cast tell their story. The lighting and sound were designed by Curtis Bailey and operated by Geoffrey Gregory and Megan Brown. The sound was great all night. I could always hear the actors, and the music never overpowered the singing. The lighting also had some cool effects to add to the atmosphere of each scene. While the lighting was often effective, it also became a distraction at times. Several times I couldn’t distinguish the actors from other audience members because the lights had been dimmed so low. It would be nice to keep the same atmosphere dimming the lights brought, without losing the actors’ faces.
In the program, director Nancy Jensen invites the audience to “hold your breath in those tense but exciting moments,” and “be in awe of the beautiful music you will hear.” While this production may not be perfect, it does provide those exciting moments and beautiful music the director promises. Don’t miss your opportunity to explore the thin line between good and bad.
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The Empress Theatre Presents
Jekyll and Hyde
October 11 – November 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Matinee October 19 at 2 p.m.
Tickets $10
(801) 347-7373
www.empresstheatre.com
This show carries a PG rating, and contains violence, vulgarity, and language which may not be appropriate for children under the age of 8.
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