Cast: Ben Addis, Marti Pellow, Sarah Earnshaw, Sabrina Carter, Mark McGee, Amira Matthews, Michael Taibi, Martin Dickinson, Matt Stevens, Jacob Chapman, Jon De Ville, James Gant, Daniel Robinson.

 L.S. Media Rating: *****

 Jekyll and Hyde is a story that has endured and thrilled generations of readers, the idea of a split personality and the notion of dealing with a darker, more insidious side is one that has prevailed since the book was first written during the 1880’s.

Captured on film on numerous occasions, notably by Fredric March and more recently on television by James Nesbitt, the Empire Theatre hosted a night of high drama and sensual, high spirited music that would have done any of those previous performances proud. It takes someone of stature to play the beguiling and terrifying Jekyll and Hyde and in Marti Pellow; the musical had that in abundance.

The former Wet Wet Wet front man excelled in the part of the troubled and brilliant scientist Henry Jekyll, however it was his was portrayal of the maniacal and murderous Edward Hyde who flattered the senses and overwhelmed the audience to the point that when the curtain came down for the end of the musical, it could be said that Marti Pellow’s long and incredible applause was more for the alter ego than for the man.

Marti Pellow was joined on stage by some superb actors who gave Marti a run for his money on stage, amongst them was the two leading ladies, the charming Sabrina Carter as the object of Hyde’s animalistic affections Lucy and the delightful Sarah Earnshaw as the good Doctor’s fiancée Emma. These two women sparkled and radiated such talent on stage that when they duetted together on the song In His Eyes, it was possible to think of two other denizens of the stage in Barbara Dickson and Elaine Paige sharing the stage together, one of the most powerful uses of a women’s roles in the theatre to date.

With the stage being transformed between opulent London society to the grubby back streets where danger lurked at every corner and to Jekyll’s laboratory nothing was left without a sense of mystery and one of the final pay offs in his lab will astound future audiences.

A night of high expectation met with astonishing success, a top notch musical that deserves every plaudit received.

Ian D. Hall