Jekyll, Hyde... and seek

Now running at Onstage, Greenbelt 1, Jekyll and Hyde is one powerful musical drama. If one is seeking strong performances, impressive singing, and a novel set design that’s an original concept of the play’s director, rush to Greenbelt and don’t miss out on this staging. Be forewarned though that this is relatively heavy material; a distant cry from the “strong on comedy and lighter moments” plays that more often reach our local mainstream theaters.

As directed by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, the musical can rightfully boast of Jett Pangan and Michael Williams alternating in the dual title role, Junix Inocian as Jekyll’s lawyer friend, Cris Villonco as Emma, Jekyll’s fiancé, and in the pleasant surprise discovery of the season, Kalila Aguilos essaying the role of Lucy, the bar girl who gets involved with both Jekyll and Hyde.

Based on the Victorian novel of Robert Louis Stevenson, most would know the story of a well-intentioned doctor trying to understand the duality of man’s character, how the polarities of good and evil are constantly fighting within one individual; and the quest to separate the two to control and repress evil. There are also the themes of medicine and psychology as infant sciences, and the danger of tinkering with nature. Against all this, there’s the plethora of songs that aren’t easy to sing; and serve to move the story along, and heighten the drama.

The most familiar song would be the showstopper This is the Moment, as sung by Jekyll as he embarks on his dangerous experiment; also notable is the duet of Jekyll and Emma, Take Me As I Am. And if there’s a scene-stealer, that would be the entry of Lucy via Bring On the Men, a raunchy number peppered with “double entendres.” Other highlights would be Lucy’s plaintive A New Life, and in the latter part of the play, when both Jekyll and Hyde take turns singing one memorable song!

Rather than having the chorus sing offstage as it did in previous stagings, Menchu came up with the idea of an operating theater as seen in Victorian hospitals, and this serves as a multi-functional set, placing the whole chorus and cast on the stage for us to appreciate. Dark, brooding and somber, the subject matter of this musical drama is lifted by the impeccable singing and enthusiastic performances. A must see for those who love theater, drama and music.