REVIEW: Jekyll & Hyde (Belgium)
Star rating: ★★★★★
It is that time of the year again, or in this case, the two-year tradition of open-air musical theatre in Berlare, Belgium. Every two years, Festivaria production creates a full open-air musical experience on a stage built right on the water. Previous years the did Titanic, Kiss Me, Kate… but for this year’s production, they went for the musical thriller Jekyll & Hyde.
As I cover both West End and European musicals (Belgium and the Netherlands), I was a bit hesitant for this production. Standard Dutch (AN) is very articulated, and it can sound unnatural on stage. In previous years, the production was always an incredible experience with cars, large set pieces, and more than 100 extras. But I think because they wanted to do so much, they paid less attention to the story and looked like they were paying more attention to the surroundings to make sure everything had a "wow" factor.
But this year, they totally exceeded themselves.
The production was beautifully made and is something to be very proud of.
The story follows Dr. Henry Jekyll (played by Pieter Jan De Paepe), a doctor who wants to separate the good and the evil to free society from suffering. When he can’t find a test subject, he decides to experiment on himself. Will it work?
Pieter Jan De Paepe is joined by Nordin De Moor as Gabriel John Utterson, Laura Seys as Emma Carew, Koen Crucke as Sir Danvers Carew, Charlotte Campion as Lucy Harris, Leendert De Vis as Simon Stride, and Tim Saey as the Bishop of Basingstoke.
Charlotte Campion plays the role of Lucy Harris, the lead performer at "The Red Rat"
She falls in love with Dr Jekyll, but must also endure the terror of his dark transformation when he switches to the evil Mr Hyde. Campion brings incredible vocal power and vulnerability to the role, particularly in her show-stopping numbers "Good 'N' Evil" and "Someone Like You," capturing Lucy's tragic longing for a better life amidst the grit of Victorian London.
Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse wrote the songs, but they were translated into Dutch for this production. Supported by a magnificent 17-piece live orchestra, there are some incredible numbers involved, especially the iconic song near the end, "Confrontation". In this song, Pieter Jan De Paepe switches rapidly between Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, showcasing incredible vocal control, physical acting, and stamina while tackling the vocal duelling of both characters on an open stage.
What makes this production so special is that the stage is built on the water and is 45m broad, with a long space in front of it that is often used as a playing area for the actors and extras, or as an entry point for cars, or, in this case, a horse carriage.
The location itself is also a key factor: most musicals in Belgium take place around the Antwerp area. Berlare is a small village in East Flanders, so for locals, it is a great place for a family event: going to a restaurant first, and then watching a musical without travelling for hours.
On top of that, the mix between professional actors and volunteers is a very rare but incredible concept, giving everyone a chance to do what they love.
Jekyll & Hyde is playing at Berlare Donkmeer until the 5th of September. More information and tickets can be found at Festivaria.
Photos taken by Steven Hendrix
