Jekyll and Hyde - The Musical - Outline and Synopsis
Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse's retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson's Victorian novella is a tour de force of contemporary
Musical-Theatre. Henry Jekyll is a maverick doctor, embarking on dangerous research, concocting combinations of rare drugs to find a
cure for dementias of the mind. Denied by his employers (the hypocritical Board Members of St. Jude's Hospital) from experimenting
on patients in his care, he realises that the only live test subject for his ultimate exploration has to be himself.
The tale is a 'Steampunk' inspired, gothic fantasy thriller that chases through the dark, dangerous streets of Victorian London,
as Henry Jekyll degenerates into his primitive and murderous alter ego - Edward Hyde. Both chilling and inspiring, the show is a
brooding, spine tingling roller-coaster, which hurtles through a surreally elaborate world of Victoriana.
Act 1
After a short prologue in which John Utterson (faithful friend and lawyer to Dr Henry Jekyll) outlines the unusual tale of his friend,
the first act of the play opens in a ward of the infamous St Jude's Hospital for mental incurables.
Dr Henry Jekyll is a doctor at the asylum/hospital/prison and cares for the patients who suffer from a various forms of dementia
and mental frailty. Jekyll appears before a public meeting of the board, and suggests once again that he needs to accelerate his drug
trials to work on human volunteers. The Board of St Judes (made up of the representatives of the 'Great and Good' of Society) flatly
turn down his request. The injustice of The Board's decision is not lost on Jekyll who knows each one of them (excluding the
Chairman Sir Danvers Carew - another loyal friend and supporter, and father to Jekyll's fiancee Emma) to be hypocrites and
malevolent gargoyles of the highest order. Whilst professing to be philanthropists and respected voices of the Church, law and
state, they each have their dark and dreadful secrets and abhorrent private lives.
Back outside his own home, Utterson bids Jekyll goodnight. Jekyll says that he DOES have a volunteer to do his live research
and alone in his laboratory, makes the decision to experiment upon himself as the live test subject of his research. Jekyll
injects and ingests various forms of his formula and over a few minutes transforms into his murderous and primitive alter ego -
Edward Hyde.
With his primal evil alter ego unleashed, Jekyll begins to pursue the sanctimonious Board Members of the Hospital where his
research was refused and begins to despatch them from the world in a series of murders that leave London's inhabitants reeling.
Act 2
As the 'Ripper' like series of murders escalates, all London is agog with the news of the killings that are picking off members of
LondonSociety.
Jekyll's friends and fiancee (Emma Carew), the staff of his household and Jekyll himself, begin to realise that something is wrong.
However, apart from Jekyll himself, they are unaware of the cause of his bizarre behaviour, and that his more and more frequent
transformations into Edward Hyde are becoming almost impossible to control and that Jekyll is descending into insanity.
In reply to an order changing his will and leaving all his worldly possessions to a 'new assistant Edward Hyde', Utterson comes to
Harley Street to confront Jekyll about his implausible decisions. Jekyll, who by this time is dangerously ill, confronts his friend
and lawyer John Utterson in his lab and demonstrates, to a horrified Utterson, the transformation into his other self.
In a rational moment, he gives Utterson a number of letters for the people he loves, and explains to Utterson that he has found a
solution to problem of Edward Hyde, and begs his friend to carry out his wishes - no matter what the consequences.
Utterson takes a letter to prostitute Lucy Harris, who has become enmeshed in the lives of both Edward Hyde and Henry Jekyll,
he reads Jekyll's letter to her, which, together with money to start a new life, begs her to leave London instantly. Lucy hesitates
and, in that moment, Edward Hyde arrives at her room and savagely kills her.
As the Wedding bells for Jekyll's wedding to socialite Emma Carew ring out, Jekyll regains enough sanity to walk into the church to
marry his bride. As he walks up the isle to meet her, he once again transforms into Edward Hyde. Hyde/Jekyll begs his Friend Utterson
to kill him, and when Utterson cannot, he runs himself onto Utterson's swordstick and kills himself rather than let Edward Hyde win
the struggle for supremacy in his soul.
Cast List
- At 49 Harley Street
- Dr Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde - Wayne Roberts
- Mr John Gabriel Utterson his lawyer and friend - Stephen Hollis
- Poole his housekeeper - Elspeth Bunker
- At The Carew Regents Park Villa
- Sir Danvers Carew KBE Chairman; Governors of St.Judes Hospital - Chris Keen
- Miss Emma Carew his Daughter, Jekyll's fiancee- Marie Ball - (Cover - Rowena James)
- Jekyll's Father - Hugh Garrett
- The Governors of St Judes Hospital
- Sir Archibald Proops QC - Davide Arbisi
- Lord H T (Teddy) Savage - John Chambers
- Lady Elizabeth Beaconsfield - Gillian Jackson
- General, The Lord Glossop - Denis Fuller
- Basil, 14th Bishop of Basingstoke - Paddy Gosden
- Mr. Simon Stride Company Secretary of the Board- Oliver Taylor
- Suitors at 'The Engagement Party'
- Oliver Taylor, William Croome, Lee Knight, Adam Knight, Matt Wright, Adam Goacher
- At 'The Red Rat'
- 'The Spider' proprietor of the Red Rat - Jack Winrow
- Lucy Harris - Jodie Tappenden
- Nellie - Vicky Scales
- Sugar - Jennie Bishop
- 'Bring on the Men' dancers - Kate Dumbrell, Emily Warrington, Jane Ellis, Charley Anne Moyce
- After 'Bring on the Men' dance -
Amy Hart, Polly Lewis, Adam Knight
- 'Dangerous Game' duet dancers - Lindsay Woodman, Adam Knight
- 'Dangerous Game' scene solo dance - Danielle Hannam
- 'Red Rat'accordian player - John Woodman with Mark Caplan
- Bisset, The Apothecary - Heather Garrett
- Minister at St. Paul's Cathedral and The Wedding Act 2 - William Croome
- 'Lucy's Angel' - Jack Roberts
- 'Steampunk' Company Soloists and Feature Roles
- 'Steampunk' Company
- 'Steampunk' on-stage band
Beverley Daniels (Clarinet), Wendy Chambers (Saxaphone), Deborah Goodson (Percussion),
John Woodman (Accordian), Jack Winrow (Trombone)
Craig Darcey, Adam Knight, Lee Knight, Matt Wright, William Croome, Mark Caplan, Vicky Williams,
Amanda Heath, Elspeth Bunker, Peter Lock, Dannielle Hannam, Deborah Goodson, Beverley Daniels,Vicky Hook
Jennie Bishop, Richard Budd, Elspeth Bunker, Wendy Chambers, William Croome, Mark Caplan, Craig Darcy,Beverley Daniels
Kate Dumbrell, Jane Ellis, Heather Garrett, Hugh Garrett, Erika Gibbins, Adam Goacher, Deborah Goodson, Amy Hart
Danielle Hannam, Amanda Heath, Vicky Hook, Sandy Knight, Adam Knight, Lee Knight, Peter Lock, Charley-Anne Moyce,
Polly Lewis, Jazz Minter, Lisa Paine, Vicky Scales, Andrew Taylor, Emily Warrington, Matt Wright, Jack Winrow,
Vicky Williams, Lindsay Woodman, John Woodman
