By Lena (BBS 1 Uelzen)
I had the opportunity to watch the staging of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the Audimax at the University of Hamburg on January 19. The play is produced by the University Players and directed by Miriam Barbi. The title is, as expected, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The central theme of the show revolves around the duality of human nature and the eternal conflict between good and evil that can exist within a single individual.
The plot focuses on the respected London doctor Dr. Jekyll, who experiments with an elixir to separate his virtuous and evil sides. The narrative follows his descent into madness and moral corruption, while his evil ego, the monstrous Edward Hyde, increasingly takes control. The key characters include Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, the loyal and close friend Mr. Utterson and Jekyll’s other friend and colleague Dr. Hastie Lanyon. What surprises me personally is that Elizabeth was the only character who really tried to understand Hyde and Jekyll instead of judging him, even though she is heavily emotionally involved.
The crew behind the stage is responsible for the technical and stage management tasks. The actors are convincing. The change from the Dr. Jekyll to the evil Hyde is blatant and believable, both vocally and physically. Their relationship on stage is remarkably intense, which is beneficial. The volume is mostly good, you understand everything, except sometimes when Dr. Jekyll speaks very fast or actors turn slightly away from the audience. Their movements reflect what the characters feel. The direction divides the scenes well, so that the actors can move naturally.
The stage design with the props immediately looks like old London. The lighting is essential. The costumes fit perfectly; Jekyll looks neat and Hyde dark with his coat, hat and walking stick. The sound between the individual scenes makes the show seem even more mystical.
I find the show overall very convincing, as the actors convey the main themes and message very well. In some places it is difficult to follow, because it is sometimes spoken a bit quickly. But you can also often derive from the good acting what is happening. I recommend the piece and tell the actors that an excellent job is done.
Photos by Sarah Naumann
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