By Jessica Kennedy.
Romance. Murder. Mayhem! Come see it all at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson as they perform Jekyll & Hyde from September 14th- October 26th. Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, this darkly intriguing adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s gothic novella is the perfect way to start off the theater’s 50th season- you won’t want to miss it!
“In each of us, two natures are at war- the good and the evil. All our lives the fight goes on between them and one of them must conquer. But in our hands lies the power to choose- what we want most to be, we are.” This opening caption from Clara S. Beranger’s 1920 screenplay says it all! Although based on Stevenson’s classic, many screenplay versions deviate from the plot and the isolation of Jekyll’s character, to create an even more rich and subversive portrayal of the tortured doctor in all of his forms. Theatre Three chose a version by Paul Hadobas, which includes additional Frank Wildhorn music and material by Leslie Bricusse. It also includes a virginal fiancé whom Jekyll loves- although not more than his work- and a vibrant yet lonely “Girl of the Night” who becomes the unfortunate victim of Hyde’s lust and violence. The addition of the female characters makes the devolution from Jekyll to Hyde both more tragic and more seductive.
The differences between the novella and the play are made even more apparent by the portrayal of the main characters. The juxtaposition of Emma Carew (Tamralynn Dorsa) and Lucy Harris (Tracylynn Conner) serves as a metaphor for the different sides of Jekyll/Hyde-and moreover the different sides of all men and women. Dorsa and Conner play out this dynamic beautifully, and compliment each other’s performances without even having to be on stage at the same time. Alan Stentiford’s performance of Jekyll/Hyde is poetic when viewed from start to finish. He presents Henry Jekyll as a man who is passionate, yet calculated- emotional, yet restrained. His facade of control, however, begins to crack as the pressures of his personal and professional lives close in on him. By the time he has embodied Edward Hyde, he is not recognizable. All of this builds up to his performance of “Confrontation” in Act II. This song alone stole the show for me; trust me, those 4 minutes alone are worth the price of admission! Add to that, music direction by Jeffrey Hoffman and a minimal, yet effective scene design by Randall Parsons, and this show will leave you both enthralled and ruminative.