BWW Reviews: Thrilling JEKYLL & HYDE at Candlelight

Jekyll & Hyde /music by Frank Wildhorn/book & lyrics by Leslie Bricusse/directed by Jason James/Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre, Claremont/through November 23

For some inexplicable reason, composer Frank Wildhorn frequently gets a bad rap, accused of copying from other composers or just being a giant step below the quality of say, Stephen Sondheim, Kander & Ebb, or Jerry Herman, among others. Many forget Wildhorn is responsible for the beautiful music of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Dracula the Musical and more recently, Bonnie and Clyde, as well as Jekyll & Hyde. Wildhorn's popular tunes, especially the ballads are glorious, verging on opera and stand on their own as hits, such as "This Is the Moment", "Once Upon a Dream", "In His Eyes" and "A New Life" all from his Jekyll & Hyde score. Combining talent with great lyricist / book writer Leslie Bricusse is a little miracle, so Wildhorn comes up, in fact, a real winner. And in Candlelight's current stellar revival, the show is a darkly rich feast for the eyes and ears, just in time for Halloween. Jekyll & Hyde will play out its intriguing game of good versus evil at Candlelight through November 23.

This superb cast is a singing ensemble, which is to say, there is not a bad voice in the chorus, and this suits Jekyll & Hyde's demands just fine and dandy, as Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse's score is a fast, furious rock opera. Director Jason James has nicely staged "Facade", the Act I opening, with most of the 20 member cast front and center; the same may be said of Act II's catchy opener "Murder, Murder", somewhat akin to Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Masquerade" in Phantom of the Opera. The pace is almost frantic with incessant spurts of the vibrantly chilling movement and color of Hyde's crime spree. Dr. Henry Jekyll (Michael Scott Harris) is intense in his determination to experiment at the hospital where his brilliant father's mind has turned into that of a vegetable. Certain drugs may help to control these horrible changes, but Jekyll's peers have voted down his proposal. Nonetheless, he moves forward without the permission of the medical profession, jeopardizing his standing in the community as well as his ultimate health. His passionate facial expression and vocal intent as he sets out on this one-of-a-kind diabolical journey to isolate evil is so thrilling to watch as he intones "I Need to Know" and then later "This Is the Moment" when he is disastrously converted into the abominable criminal Edward Hyde.

Harris's transformation into Hyde is electrically convincing. With merely tossing his long hair about and slightly deepening his voice, he carries it off admirably, creating a Hyde that is nothing short of fascinating. The women equally steal the show. Amy Gillette is all grace and beauty as Jekyll's fiancee Emma and sings divinely. Laura Dickinson as showgirl Lucy gives a totally delicious performance as the good girl gone bad. Her "Bring On the Men" and "A New Life" are diva-ishly captivating. Kudos as well to Richard Bermudez as lawyer friend Gabriel John Utterson, Bob Bell as Sir Danvers Carew, Jason Marquez as Simon Stride, and Valerie Jasso as Lady Beacon and to the great ensemble, who sing divinely and move exquisitely to the choreographic steps of Janet Renslow, when needed, as choreography is limited in this show to a couple of numbers. Dwight Richard Odle deserves heaps of praise for the simplistic yet elegantly dark looking set and kudos to FCLO for the beautiful 19th century period costumes.

This is an excellent production of Jekyll & Hyde with wonderful direction and a superb cast. Don't miss it through November 23!

Per usual, the food and service at Candlelight are first-rate. Drink specials for a mere $5 for this show include The Red Rat, Hyde's Elixir - delicious with spiced cinnamon whiskey and Gran Gala Orange liqueur - and Dangerous Game, named after the show's perilous musical number. Congrats as always to the Bollinger family for a job well done!

(photo credit: John LaLonde)

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