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A CurtainUp London London Review
The Man Inside


" I feel him, the man inside." — Dr Jekyll
The Man Inside
Dave Willetts as Dr Jeckyll
The Man Inside is a compact trimming down of the strange case of Jekyll and Hyde. With music by Tony Rees and musical theatre veteran Dave Willetts playing the title role, this production is curious and memorable but at times sadly awkward in its delivery.

The story is centralised on the relationship between Jekyll, his fiancé Katherine (Alexandra Fisher) and Lizzie (Jessie Lilley) a prostitute. We very quickly learn of Jekyll's experiments and the creation of Hyde and subsequently the downfall of all their lives. Plot is relatively thin in this three-man piece and at just over an hour long, the inevitable result is there are a few too many links missing in the chain.

The production is best served by some lovely musical moments. Rees's emotive and melodic score is enjoyable and fits the story smartly. All the songs seem to blend together well with a nice undercurrent of gloom and foreboding. 'Now's The Time!' is a particularly catchy number which takes us through the dramatic transformation itself and 'Soho' is reminiscent of Les Miserables's 'Lovely Ladies', transporting us to the graceless Soho streets of Victorian London.

All three performances are good and the quality of the singing reaches far past the walls of the Landor. Willetts is a very watchable and generous performer, with an impressive vocal range. He seems to make the best of slightly stiff direction but some moments slip into a rather cheesy 'slasher movie' feel, not helped by a slight overuse of red light filter and smoke. The intimate stage of the theatre does help to create a rather claustrophobic and intense atmosphere and the proximity of the audience adds to the general feeling of anxiety.

However, being so close doesn't allow for any discrepancy and badly timed lighting cues with slightly unrefined exits and entrances do put the production in danger. The rising of intensity and fear is crucial to the play and if time is allowed for tweaking and sharpening in these elements then our attention won't be so often distracted. The production, given the stage's limitations, is technically ambitious and that deserves credit but with a more subtle attitude and a 'less is more' understanding the scenes of horror would be much more effective. Particular appreciation should be for the musical direction of Matheson Bailey who accompanies the play with a tempo of suitable aggression. An accomplished pianist, he coaxes the audience through a variety of themes and emotions.

This is a fair and likeable version of a well-known story with appealing songs and music. Yet some wrong choices, a slight lack of plot depth and a rather bizarre ending stop the production from fulfilling its potential and that can be frustrating.

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The Man Inside
Book and Lyrics by Tony Rees and Gary Young
Music by Tony Rees
Directed by Robert McWhir

Starring: Dave Willetts, Alexandra Fisher, Jessie Lilley
Design by Martin Thomas
Lighting: Richard Lambert
Sound: Sarah Weltman
Running time: 1 hour 15 minutes with no interval
Box Office: 020 7737 7276
Booking to: 29th March 2014
Reviewed by Tim Newns based on 13th March production at the Landor Theatre, 70 Landor Road, London SW9 9PH

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