The Devonshire Park Theatre will present a thrilling new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s dark psychological fantasy, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which comes to Eastbourne from Tuesday 17th to Thursday 19th October – making it the perfect pre-Halloween night out.
The myth and mystery of 19th century London will be faithfully recreated by the acclaimed Blackeyed Theatre in this chilling production, which is adapted and directed by Nick Lane, and presents a unique take on the classic Gothic horror story.
Doctor Henry Jekyll is a good man. Successful within his field and respected by his peers, he’s close to a neurological discovery that will change the face of medical science forever. However, his methods are less than ethical and when a close friend and colleague threatens to expose and destroy his work, Jekyll is forced to experiment on himself, whereupon something goes very wrong…or very right. Suddenly Jekyll has a new friend, the brutal Edward Hyde.
This gripping production takes inspiration from Nick Lane’s own personal journey. Injured in a car accident at the age of 26 that permanently damaged his neck and back, Lane, who was Associate Director and Literary Manager at Hull Truck Theatre from 2006 to 2014, 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, “I wondered 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 story-telling, physical theatre, movement and a razor-sharp script, alongside a new musical score by Tristan Parkes, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde remains true to the spirit and themes of the original novella while offering modern audiences one or two surprises, including a major female character, Eleanor, who drives Jekyll on in the same way Stevenson’s wife did urging her husband to complete the novel.
Don’t miss this thought provoking and stylish adaptation. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde when it’s at the Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne from Tuesday 17th to Thursday 19th October with nightly performances at 7.45pm and a Wednesday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets are priced from £15.50 and are recommended for ages 11+. To book call the box office on 01323 412000 or go online to www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk