The play begins by following the story of Dr Jekyll’s widow, Harriet, who fights to take over the mantle of her late husband’s work and in doing so unleashes her alter-ego Flossie Hyde. As the opening act continues, the story unfurls and becomes entwined with a modern-day plot that bring us to an unexpected cliffhanger where the past abruptly meets the present, leaving the audience captivated and intrigued during the interval. Not to reveal any plot spoilers, the second act takes the play to a new and daring place that moves far away from its source text, and shifts deftly between the two narratives to bring us to a conclusion that forces the audience to re-evaluate our preconceptions.
The piece demanded strong character and ensemble work from the performers which was well carried by the NYT REP company, with an excellent sense of ensemble cohesion and enthusiasm that energetically carried the play through to its bold conclusion. Punctuated by some wonderful performances and break out character moments, it will be exciting to see what comes next from the NYT REP’s West End season.
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