*** Many apologies for the delay in this review. I have had quite a few issues of late. ***
There’s a face that we wear
in the cold light of day.
It’s society’s mask,
it’s society’s way,
and the truth is
that it’s all a facade!
It has been a few years since I attended a Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) show, but I knew from past experiences I would be seeing a production of professional quality. At BOA, there is a fine collection of local school age talent, and this offering of Jekyll and Hyde was up with the best. Although familiar with some of the numbers, having performed them in concerts, this Frank Wildhorn musical was new to me. Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella, The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the show tells the story of one man’s search for the difference between good and evil.
In a production which has the primary object of being a module for performing arts curriculum, it is excellent for the audience that all mediums of music, acting and dance have their boxes ticked. Such was the high standard on view, you would be forgiven for forgetting that these were Year 12 pupils.
In the title role of Jekyll/Hyde on my attendance was Jamie Wilson. I have already mentioned the professional quality but in Wilson, we were really seeing West End calibre. This is the Moment was outstanding, but the rest of the performance defied the actor’s years. Supporting brilliantly, though, were Noah Gray (Utterson), Tabitha Christian (Lucy), who was marvellous in A New Life, Lola Ashton-Elvidge (Emma), perfect in delivering Once Upon a Dream, Faris Harlow-Makin (Danvers), Euan Barnby (Stride), Bethany Mattocks (Lady Beaconsfield), Archie Pitt (Bishop of Basingstoke), Kenneth Elangwe (Lord Savage), Faith Corry (Lady Glossop) and Chloe Peacock (Sir Archibald Proops).
The dance also was phenomenal, especially the Red Rat girls who totally immersed themselves into this engrossing tale and I particularly liked Bring on the Men. I also enjoyed the actors playing Hyde’s Shadows who were sinister indeed to the point that one female Shadow with bobble plaits actually scared the hell out of me. But this show was really a team effort and all the near 50 onstage shone a bright light within the dark setting. Other songs which stood out for me were In His Eyes, His Work and Nothing More.
Jekyll and Hyde is an extremely dark gothic opera which still has the audience gripped with good dialogue and excellent song. As well as on stage, those behind the scenes were students as well, under the supervision of BOA staff. I am not sure it is a show I would repeatedly go to see, so I am glad that when I did that I experienced a Five-Star production. There are many stage schools about and in my experience of Musical Theatre content, BOA are the best. And it shows in the results.
Cheers.
Antony N Britt.
*Photos taken from the public domain and may not represent the performance reviewed.
Antony N Britt - Author 