Blackeyed Theatre are back and heading on tour with their sell-out production of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and My Hyde. Following being filmed and streamed in 2020, this thrilling adaptation by Nick Lane of Robert Louis Stevenson’s dark psychological fantasy is touring the country from September 2021 – May 2022 with over 100 dates, immersing audiences in the myth and mystery of 19th century London.
Doctor Henry Jekyll is a good man, successful within his field and respected by his peers. When he gets close to a neurological discovery that will change the face of medical science forever, a colleague threatens to expose his controversial methods, and Jekyll is forced to experiment on himself. When his experiment goes wrong, Jekyll suddenly has a new friend, the brutal Edward Hyde.
Nick Lane’s own journey inspired his gripping adaptation after being injured in a car accident permanently damaged his neck and back. Lane imagines Jekyll as a physically weakened man who discovers a cure for his ailments, a cure that also unearths the darkest corners of his psyche. Lane says, If someone offered me a potion that was guaranteed to make me feel the way I did before the accident, but with the side effect that I’d become ruthless and horrible – would I drink it?
Combining ensemble storytelling, physical theatre, movement and Lane’s razor-sharp script, alongside a musical score by Tristan Parkes, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde remains true to the spirit and themes of the original story.
This classic Gothic tale will be performed by Blake Kubena (Vikings, History Channel; Othello, Alabama Shakespeare Festival; All’s Well that Ends Well, Minack Theatre) in the titular roles, Zach Lee (Bouncers, Glass Menagerie, Hull Truck; The Derby McQueen Affair, York Theatre Royal; Treasure Island, Harrogate Theatre), Paige Round (Hurling Rubble at the Moon, Park Theatre; Nobody, Hanyong Theatre/National Theatre Company of Korea) and Ashley Sean-Cook (Frankenstein, Blackeyed Theatre; The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Children’s Touring Partnership; Might Never Happen, Kings Head Theatre).
Adrian McDougall, Artistic Director of Blackeyed Theatre, comments, Like everyone working in theatre, we’re desperate to get back to live performance, and I know that The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, a show that’s been two years in the making, will be worth the wait. Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been humbled by the support, patience and resilience of our audiences and artists, and while Covid is likely to remain a challenge during the autumn, it’s vital that theatre and theatre makers have the chance to create that live experience for audiences in a way that’s safe and sustainable.
2022 tour dates will be announced soon.
