Dark nights of the soul
WE ALL have dark nights of the soul – but what if our tormented alter egos became fact rather than fiction? That’s the premise for a new play being performed in Bracknell next week. South Hill Park will be offering a livestream of Blackeyed Theatre’s new take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s dark psychological fantasy, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde.
Set in 19th century London – the days of Jack the Ripper, peasouper fogs and jellied eels – it explores the researches of one Doctor Henry Jekyll.
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.
And suddenly Jekyll has a new friend, the brutal Edward Hyde, who unleashes the forces of love, betrayal and murder.
Who will win the ultimate battle of wits?
The play has been adapted by Nick Lane, who was inspired following a car accident left him, at the age of 26, with a permanently damaged his neck and back.
He says that he 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. It led him to ponder whether, if offered a similar potion, he would drink it.
He says: “In this chaotic period in our history, the arts serve as an oasis of peace and I'm absolutely delighted to be working with Blackeyed again to bring autumn chills down the spines of any audience member with Jekyll and Hyde.
“It's a timeless story that we've put into historical context, adding detail that will intrigue people who know the novel and those coming to it fresh”.
It will be performed live in front of a sociallydistanced audience on Friday, September 18, with live streaming tickets available. It will also be recorded for schools to use.
For more details, log on to southhillpark.org.uk