A push and pull
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Warragul Theatre Company will bring Victorian London to life this week with "Jekyll and Hyde", a dark, grungy musical from the nineties.
Written by Leslie Bricusse and based on the 1880s novella "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson, "Jekyll and Hyde" the musical takes the audience on a journey back in time.
The production is headed by director Liam Charleston (previously of WTC's "Wicked" and "Beauty and the Beast"), who has put together a skilled production team and a stellar cast to bring the show to life.
Sam Stephens and Yolette Stewart are co-musical directors, Emillie King is choreographer, Leane Gooding is production manager, and Kasinda Dalton is assistant director.
Gippsland-based set building extraordinaire Keegan Just also is on board and has been hard at work creating a "massive", gothic set.
Taking on the role of the infamous Dr Jekyll and his dark alter-ego Mr Hyde is WTC newcomer Michael Gray.
Gray is a trained opera singer and has worked in both New Zealand and Melbourne, but is only just making his return to performing.
"I put that away for a long time, for about 10 years - and I didn't perform - and then after the pandemic, I realised that I needed a fun, creative outlet back in my life."
Calling Mr Jekyll a "bucket-list role", Gray said playing the man with the split personality had been exhausting, but fun.
"There's a very dark side to Hyde, and that's incredibly fun and satisfying to play... but in contrast, Jekyll has this real want to do good."
"He's trying to do good in the world, trying to solve a problem... unfortunately, he's denied treatment on a patient in a mental asylum and so he resorts to testing the formula on himself."
"That causes him to fall into the character of Hyde."
Local talent Hayley Abery is taking on the role of Lucy Harris - a sex worker at The Red Rat and one of Jekyll's two love interests.
Abery is a long-time member of WTC and said that although the character is a "dream role", it is challenging.
"She's very sassy, strong. She's the leader of the prostitute gang, very comfortable around men and with her sexuality."
"But behind closed doors she's just not very content with her life...she's longing for some kind of true love."