Review: GOAT's JEKYLL & HYDE Is Sexy, but Safe High-Quality Theatre

By: Sep. 21, 2016
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Throughout all of human history, there has been something sexy and intoxicating about the fine line between good and evil; the dangerous desire to understand it, to conquer it, to control it. The Greater Orlando Actors' Theatre production of the musical JEKYLL & HYDE, running through Sunday, September 25th at the home of Central Florida Community Arts, ably captures the alluring sexuality of this temptation, but is never able to realize the innate danger that accompanies it.

Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic 1886 novella "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," the musical version by Frank Wildhorn, Steve Cuden, and Leslie Bricusse came to Broadway in 1997, at the tail-end of the mega-musical British Invasion that brought shows like THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and LES MISERABLES to our shores.

Though two of the show's three writers are American, JEKYLL & HYDE shares much connective tissue with those shows, dealing in material darker than that of a traditional musical comedy, with a score nearly completely sung-through. While the musical has a number of songs that have become showtune semi-standards, JEKYLL & HYDE's score more often than not bounds from one indistinguishable ballad to another, tied together by amelodic recitative.

Fortunately, director Paul Castaneda and choreographer Eric Yow acutely keep the action moving at a pace that allows their talented cast to shine. In a city teeming with performing talent, GOAT has long been one of Orlando's highest-quality community theatres, and while the underlying property of JEKYLL & HYDE leaves much to be desired, for the most part, Castaneda's production hits all of the right notes.

In this iconic tale, a conscientious doctor, Henry Jekyll (Adam McCabe), is working to chemically separate the good and evil halves of human nature. When his requests to experiment on a human subject are rebuffed by hospital administration, he turns his experiments on himself, creating a separate, evil being within his own body, Mr. Edward Hyde (also McCabe).

Siobhan Gale and Adam McCabe
Photo Credit: Greater Orlando Actors' Theatre

In the musical, though Dr. Jekyll is engaged to the lovely, but independent-minded debutante Emma Carew (Siobhan Gale), he befriends prostitute Lucy Harris (Hannah Celeste), and, as Hyde, begins to threaten and abuse her, while plotting revenge on Jekyll's colleagues.

As the doomed doctor, McCabe displays an impressive voice, as he is able to handle the unique vocal demands of his dual role. The songs that each character sings are quite different, with Jekyll having more earnest and introspective moments, and Hyde having the more aggressive and angry outbursts.

Since I have only known him as part of more comedic projects in the past, McCabe's sincerity and honesty was impressive and impactful. Unfortunately, until (and to a lesser degree, during) one of the show's last songs, we were never given enough differentiation between the two characters to create a true appreciation for the battle going on inside of, and between, them.

Physically, vocally, and visually, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were all too often difficult to tell apart, even though the people closest to the doctor saw no similarity. This inability to distinguish between the characters also seems to have impacted the portrayals of each, and in turn, the overall tone of the show.

Jekyll never appeared to have the passion that would drive a man of science to take such extraordinary risks, and Hyde came off as more unhinged than the personification of evil. Though the show maintains the violence and gore of its source material, this lack of palpable malevolence robs it of a necessary tension that would be exponentially raised its stakes.

With that being said, McCabe was expert at leading the audience through the intellectual and emotional labyrinths that his characters were going through, especially when it came to the two women in his life.

As Jekyll's betrothed, Gale was by far the vocal standout of the show. Her effortless soprano was perfect for the sympathetic Emma, but it was her strength and liberation that made her even more compelling; not traits typically seen in portrayals of nineteenth century women.

Despite Gale's excellence, the true love story of the musical is the triangle between Lucy, Jekyll, and Hyde. Celeste's Lucy struggles to find safety in the friendship of the doctor, only to be used and mistreated by his alter ego. Her portrayal is rich with pathos, and ultimately becomes the emotional heart of the show.

Hannah Celeste
Photo Credit: Greater Orlando Actors' Theatre

We are first introduced to the troubled character in the bawdy "Bring on the Men," which features creative choreography from Yow. Though it is clear that the ensemble isn't entirely made up of dancers, the absolute fun and sensuality of the number makes it one of the show's most memorable moments, especially with Celeste's seductive performance.

Though her voice strains a bit when out of her gorgeously raspy chest voice, she was nearly perfect in "Bring on the Men," belting with the confidence of a woman that knows that she can control nearly any situation with the sheer force of her sexuality.

The show's ensemble is exceptionally strong, especially vocally. The choral work, led by Musical Director Jami-Leigh Bartschi, rivals that of any professional theatre in town. The only way that it could have been better is if the principals had been wearing microphones, so that they would have been able to balance with the wonderful group sound.

The song "Murder, Murder" which opens the second act is a phenomenal intersection of excellent ensemble acting, choreography, and vocal work.

It is difficult to judge a nomadic theatre company's technical work, but the blunt lighting and underwhelming set design seemed like missed opportunities for a show that relies so much on a supernatural and horror atmosphere.

As I wrote in last week's review of the Garden Theatre's production of Wildhorn's BONNIE & CLYDE, though the composer has had more than a handful of musicals make it to Broadway, none have been critically well received, and zero have been profitable. However, admittedly in its nearly four-year run on Broadway, JEKYLL & HYDE amassed a loyal following of "Jekkies" (a play on STAR TREK's Trekkies).

This first and most successful Wildhorn musical still suffers from many of the problems that would plague the composer in subsequent Broadway outings; the book wastes nearly the entire first act on exposition before finding any actionable conflict and there is not enough melodic differences to support a score with 40 numbers.

However, none of that is not the fault of GOAT, which is once again able to show that with talented performers and insightful direction, community theatre can be just as entertaining and powerful as the professionals.

To purchase tickets to the final weekend of GOAT's JEKYLL & HYDE, click here, and keep an eye out for the company's next musical, the Central Florida premiere of THE TOXIC AVENGER musical, which will open at Orlando Shakespeare's Mandell Theatre in January, also starring McCabe in the title (which seems like perfect casting).


Did you visit Dr. Jekyll in London? Let me know on Twitter @BWWMatt. And, "Like" and follow BWW Orlando on Facebook and Twitter using the buttons below.

Banner Image: Fabiola Rivera, Nicole Castro, and the JEKYLL & HYDE Ensemble | Photo Credit: Greater Orlando Actors' Theatre



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