Crescent Theatre. 23 July 2025
By Evan Placey. Based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Director Roni Mevorach. Choreography by Bella Bailey.
This play offers a contemporary twist on the well-known classic. It is a modern reimagining with women at its centre. No longer Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde but a young woman (or2) wishing for more from life than is allowed during Victorian times. And then we have the modern-day schoolgirl, Florence Monroe – is she the mastermind or just a teenage blogger?
At the beginning, the whole cast was on stage, watching as we filed in and took our seats. I thought they were pretty undisciplined because they were chatting and pointing at people in the audience. That is, until it was pointed out that they were watching us. I didn’t think this came across as well as it could have but the person who was with me saw it straight away, so I think that was a failing of mine rather than theirs.
The set was simple but very atmospheric. Costumes were all black with small pops of colour and these colour accents were continued across the set, props, and even the lighting. This was very cleverly done, as was the single coloured cross beam on the chairs. These thoughtful touches really added to the experience.
The chorus was very good and their timing was perfect. The interjections during the sermon were spot-on and the pub scene worked really well. Choreography was excellent and the ‘monster’ dance was very, very well done. These young people work really well together and it’s easy to see how hard they’ve worked on the choreographed pieces. When Josephine and Florence spoke in unison it worked perfectly, and I can just imagine the hours of rehearsal that went into that. Likewise when Jekyll and Hyde spoke together.
There were some really good, very confident performances. Mark Smith-Alonso was very good as Gertrude. Indigo Perrett was excellent as Flossie Hyde, as was Evie Mumford as Harriet Jekyll. Eve Hack-Myers was absolutely amazing as Josephine. Her voice is lovely and you would think she had years of experience under her belt. She’s certainly one to watch. Rose Gilliam gave a very naturalistic performance as Florence. I felt she was truly believable in the role and her confidence shone through.
With such a large cast, it can be difficult not to bump into one-another on stage, but that was not a problem for this cast. They all seemed very comfortable with each other. I think this shows how well choreographed and rehearsed they were.
I was very impressed with this show and can’t wait for the next one. Well done Stage2 Youth.
Reviewed by – Lesley L.
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