Violence and horror movie-style suspense are hard things to translate to a theatrical setting. Movies and television have a pretty high bar to meet when it comes to realistic depictions of violence for desensitized audiences. If it looks fake, it just doesn’t work.
The Penobscot Theatre Company managed to meet that bar, though, with its gruesome, stylish and wickedly fun production of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” which opened last week at the Bangor Opera House. It’s equal parts psychological thriller and good old-fashioned slasher yarn, Victorian drama and punk rock comic book caper — perfect Halloween fare.
“Jekyll” plays to a mature audience, eager to jump into the dark, disturbed world of the good doctor and his chemically induced alter ego, the maniacal Mr. Hyde. Allen Adams hits just the right tone with his portrayal of Dr. Jekyll — he wants to be good, but he just can’t be. Jekyll’s egotistic personality and burning desire to understand the science of evil leads him down an evil path, and Adams manages over the course of the play to combine the human aspects of Jekyll with the animal instincts of Hyde. His transformation of Jekyll from well-to-do gentleman to mad man is slow, thoughtful, and eventually riveting to watch. It is Adams’ best dramatic role yet at Penobscot Theatre.
The four Hydes — Bernard Hope, Arthur Morison, Jeri Misler and Drake Andrew — each bring their unique take on the unchecked desire and aggression that their character embodies. Hope keeps up appearances all while slitting throats behind the audience’s back. Morison’s comic timing and physicality makes the audience think he’s drawing you in for a bear hug, only to wring your neck. Misler connects the male with the female, effortlessly embodying pure id, regardless of gender.
Andrew, as the “main” Hyde, projects a kind of sensual delight at the havoc he wreaks and pain he inflicts on his victims. Despite all signs pointing to “insane serial rapist and murderer,” it’s hard not to find something oddly attractive about his character, not unlike the main character in the TV show “Dexter.” The audience loves his character, and then realizes their rooting for a bad person. Transitions between all four actors playing both Hyde and their other supporting characters are well thought out. A simple walk through a red door or hat change transforms them into Jekyll’s crazed alter ego.
The other character in the play, Elizabeth, played by Christie Robinson, finds Hyde attractive as she is drawn into his world. Robinson is a cute, naive-at-first foil to Hyde’s wanton cruelty and violence, and her character underscores the idea that everybody has a dark side — even sweet, curly-headed chambermaids who visit their mum on the weekends.
There’s another star of this show, however, and that’s the stunning costumes by first-time PTC designer Jimmy Johansmeyer. The frock coats, top hats, walking sticks and pocket watches of Victorian England are paired with decidedly modern threads such as leather pants, fishnet stockings and studded, sparkly kilts. None of the costumes would be out of place in the late 1970s, punk rock-era London, perhaps hanging next to Vivienne Westwood designs — and yet, it never feels like anything but Victorian England.
As with PTC’s season opener, “The 39 Steps,” the set, designed by Erik D. Diaz, is spare but effective, with moving staircases and doorways seamlessly transitioning scenes, and sometime entire characters within one actor. Jonathan Spencer’s lighting sets a mood of fog, shadowy alleyways and creepy surgical theaters. The whole production looks and feels fashionably macabre; at once elegant, sexy and scary. A must-see for anyone who is at least a little intrigued by what’s on the other side of that red door.
The Penobscot Theatre Company’s production of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” runs Oct. 27-31 and Nov. 3-7 at the Bangor Opera House. Call 942-3333 or visit penobscottheatre.org for show times and ticket information.
