The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, a retelling of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story, is set for the Scottish stage courtesy of Hope Dickson Leach (The Levelling) who conceived the project, co-wrote and directs.
The new version is written by Hope Dickson Leach and Vlad Butucea, adapted from the original novella, and relocated from London to Edinburgh. Presented by the National Theatre of Scotland and Selkie Productions in association with Screen Scotland and Sky Arts, this unique new retelling uses innovative theatrical and cinematic techniques to create a live filmic and theatrical experience. Entering a live film set built within the atmospheric setting of Edinburgh’s historic Leith Theatre, audiences will witness the simultaneous creation and screening in this one-off experience.
The production will be a live theatrical live experience at Leith Theatre on 25, 26 and 27 February 2022. It will also live stream in Scottish theatres on the final date, the 27th. During the week of 28 February 2022, an ‘as live’ version will be streamed in UK cinemas, and finally, in autumn 2023, an edited feature film will be broadcast on Sky Arts.
This will be the first live stream film, created and set in Scotland, to be seen by audiences in Scottish cinemas.
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Hope Dickson Leach and Vlad Butucea, returns to Edinburgh born writer Robert Louis Stevenson’s original story which was published in 1886. This gripping new adaptation has been developed with theatre dramaturg Rosie Kellagher and Philip Howard. The drama follows Gabriel Utterson as he enters a world of dark duplicity to uncover the identity of the mysterious Mr Hyde and the hold he has over Utterson’s old friend Dr Jekyll.
In this version, Utterson’s journey is set against the background and backdrop of Victorian Edinburgh, where the wealth of the breweries is contrasted with the poverty of the Cowgate Vaults, exposing an underbelly of dark truths and corruption. Bewitched by the society of Edinburgh’s rich and powerful, Utterson soon discovers that behind the glossy façade of power there is a grim and brutal reality. This is a Jekyll and Hyde reworked for a contemporary audience with the themes of power, class and masculinity brought to the fore.
Embracing the duality of the storyline and the period authenticity, the film will be shot in black and white. Both the film and live event will feature new electronic music by DJ and music producer Hudson Mohawke, acclaimed for his genre-smashing” creative approach.
Hope Dickson Leach is an award-winning film maker, based in Edinburgh, whose debut film, The Levelling won her a Scottish BAFTA and the inaugural IWC Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI. This is her second project with the Company, she also co-conceived and directed Ghost Light with National Theatre of Scotland in association with Selkie Productions. This project reunites her with Vlad Butucea, (one of the writers for the National Theatre of Scotland’s Interference project) and contributing writer on Ghost Light.
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde offers audiences the opportunity to experience a film being created around them, gaining insight into the theatre and filmmaking process. Audience members will wear headsets while watching the drama unfold live on a large screen in the auditorium.
A gothic tale of double lives and inner demons, the storyline is mirrored not only in the hybrid format of the production but in the audience experience at the venue, where they will be able to enjoy bespoke cocktails from the Jekyll and Hyde theatre bars.
Leith Theatre is a legendary music venue, performance space and community resource in the heart of Leith, which was a gift from the City of Edinburgh in the 1920s. Its main auditorium has played host to sporting events, the Edinburgh International Festival and iconic artists and bands. Currently closed to the public, audiences will have exclusive access to the main auditorium during the theatrical film event, and the venue’s historic backstage maze of rooms and hallways will be transformed into film set location scenes of Victorian Edinburgh.
The very first film version of Stevenson’s novel is believed to be a 16-minute-long silent horror film of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde made in 1908, based on a stage play. Since then, there have been over 123 films made, from animation to satire to horror, with versions filmed across the world.
Casting for The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde will be announced in January 2022.
