Anna Baker
Daily Texan Staff
Murder. Prostitutes. Love.
Chuck Wagner portrays Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Jekyll & Hyde.
Starring: Chuck Wagner, Becca Ayers, Kelli O'Hara, Roger E. DeWitt
Director: David Warren
Playing at: Bass Concert Hall through Sunday, Jan. 30
Tickets: $29 - $50
There's no shortage of the three in Jekyll & Hyde, presented by the UT Performing
Arts Center, the SFX Theatrical Group and Fox Theatricals at the Bass Concert
Hall.
The story of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde is one that most people "sorta"
know. Set in the late 1800s, Dr. Jekyll (played by Chuck Wagner) is one of London's
elite upper-class, although his experiments in medicine separate him from his
other well-to-do associates.
The performance begins as Dr. Jekyll asks the medical board at his hospital
to allow him to perform experiments on a patient. Experiments, he says, that
will remove the evil from the souls of men. But they adamantly say "nay," and
Dr. Jekyll is forced to find an alternative route for his research.
These fine, upstanding folks also attend Dr. Jekyll's engagement party, where
his distaste for them becomes even more obvious. His beautiful bride-to-be,
Emma Carew (Kelli O'Hara), dismisses them all. "Take me as I am," she sings
to her beloved, and he does, as she remains the purest example of good in his
life.
But, in spite of Emma's love, his passion is his work, and Dr. Jekyll is still
looking for an alternative way to conduct his medical research. So, for inspiration,
he and his best friend, John Utterson (James Clow), head over to The Red Rat,
the local brothel.
It is here Lucy (Becca Ayers) makes her entrance in little more than a corset
and stockings. At the insistence of her pimp, The Spider (Robin Haynes), Lucy
propositions Dr. Jekyll, who instead agrees to be her friend.
That night, Dr. Jekyll begins his most intensive research. He has decided, as
the audience well knows, to inject himself with a potion he's created. Soon,
the good and sweet Mr. Jekyll is writhing on the floor of his lab in agony,
as an "unexpected development" occurs.
Before long it's murder, murder everywhere. First to die is Basil, the Bishop
of Basingstoke (Roger E. DeWitt), who sits on the hospital board that refused
Dr. Jekyll. Soon, the other members of the board are killed as well. Emma's
father, Sir Danvers Carew (Jamie Ross), is the only one left alive.
To complicate matters, Dr. Jekyll has locked himself in his lab, refusing to
see even Emma. But when Lucy swings by -- for medical attention, of course --
she reveals she is the love of Mr. Hyde's life.
Although the plot of the story is generally predictable, it is the actors and
actresses that make the musical good. Each singer's voice adds to the character
of their role: Lucy the prostitute's voice is sultry and pouty, while Emma's
is as clear and light as a songbird. In the duet "In His Eyes," their voices
pair and separate beautifully.
But the star of the show, both in script and on stage, is Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.
Chuck Wagner has showcased his amazing voice previously on Broadway in starring
roles in Les Miserables and Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
One would probably expect the voices of the two men to sound similar, but Wagner
is able to change his voice, giving Mr. Hyde a scratchy, scruffy, danger-is-coming
kind of inflection.
Wagner's best lyrical performance comes when his two personalities confront
each other. Alone on stage, Dr. Jekyll battles his evil self, trying desperately
to overcome Mr. Hyde, who forcefully counters back, letting Dr. Jekyll know
that, after all, Mr. Hyde is Dr. Jekyll. Two are one. Evil is in good.
But, suddenly, Dr. Jekyll arrives in time for his wedding. Unfortunately, so
does Mr. Hyde.