Bricusse and Wildhorn’s Broadway musical version of “Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” entitled simply “Jekyll and Hyde was written as a musical for the Broadway stage, and although originally musical theatre was “a light diversion, usually with a domestic narrative”, the genre progressed to being “something that may include overt analysis and social comment, often encompassing psychological and symbolic focuses” (Snelson). This describes the style of this musical. Snelson also states that early musical theatre “principally interpolated popular songs into light plots” but then later “almost any subject was thought suitable for the musical, which was often presented as through sung with extensive use of musical motif”. Although not completely through sung, “Jekyll and Hyde” does make use of musical motif. This adaptation, whilst remaining true to the general premise of Stevenson’s original story, treats it in a different way in order to ensure its feasibility as a musical theatre piece. Instead of being told from Utterson’s point of view completely, we are introduced to the story by Utterson in the prologue and then we see much more of Jekyll’s character than we ever do in the original novel. I feel this is to help the audience to empathise with him – indeed were we to feel the same revulsion for him as we are encouraged to do in the novel the musical would not work, as it is necessary to have a certain pathos for the leading protagonist in order to care what becomes of him in the denouement. It is interesting to explore the differences in the depiction of the character, and also to consider the similarities, the facets of Jekyll and Hyde’s characters which Bricusse and Wildhorn felt necessary to include in their adaptation.
Some adjectives and descriptive phrases from the original story are included in the libretto for the musical. Jekyll’s dialogue and lyrics for his songs are passionate, intelligent, determined and well meaning. They convey a well meaning, caring character who genuinely wants to help people and make the world a better place. In his first song, ‘Lost in the Darkness’ it is made clear that he cares for his father and wants to help him out of his mental illness. He genuinely believes he can do this through the use of a scientific potion he has been working on and is prevented from doing this by his superiors at the hospital. He begins the song tenderly with an understanding of his father’s mental state (“Lost in the darkness, silence surrounds you, once there was morning, now endless night”) and at the end of the song promises his father that he will continue in his work (“I will find the answer, I’ll never desert you, I promise you this ‘til the day that I die.”) The song begins in the key of G# Minor, modulating to the major key in the second verse when Jekyll is addressing his father directly, imploring him to hear his words and his promise – this emphasises his intentions and his tender side. The music then reverts to the minor key in preparation for the next song which sets the theme for the entire show.
In Jekyll’s songs with Emma Carew, his fiancée, he is caring and tender again, his sincerity and love for Emma are conveyed through his words, as is his passion for his work. Their first duet, ‘Take Me as I Am’ is written in B flat major and is in the style of a classic love duet. Jekyll expresses his need for Emma (“and when despair tears me in two who can I turn to but you?”) but this also hints at what is to come, the separation of both sides of his personality, and when this eventually does happen he finds that, in fact, he cannot turn to Emma, as he wants to protect her from the truth. Instead he turns to a kind hearted prostitute, Lucy Harris, who is the opposite of Emma, as Hyde is the opposite of Jekyll. He also turns to Utterson, his friend and lawyer. Considering the rest of the lyrics of this song, it does appear to be an allegory for the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde – Jekyll states to Emma that she knows him well ( “ You know who I am, take me as I am” ) and he also asks her to swear they will never part. The line “though fate won’t always do what we desire, still we can set the world on fire” also appears to be prophetic, as indeed fate plays a cruel part in Jekyll’s life, and fire is symbolic throughout - Jekyll talks about his burning ambition, Hyde talks about the evil burning inside him (“burning with primitive fire”) and in the duet ‘Dangerous Game’ with Lucy, Jekyll likens their relationship to “a sin with no name, like a hand in a flame”. Fire is also mentioned by John Utterson in his song with Jekyll after the first transformation, ‘Your Work and Nothing More.’ He states “You have your work and nothing more, you are possessed, what is your demon? You’ve never been this way before, where is the fire you built your dream on?” This tells us that others are noticing the change in Jekyll, his change in attitude and priorities. Fire is also used symbolically within the setting of the musical, which enhances and echoes the sentiments of the libretto. The symbolism of fire is appropriate for the presence of Satan which is ever apparent in the personality of Hyde – he is likened to Satan, and states that he will always have Satan by his side.
In Jekyll’s song ‘Now There Is No Choice’, we see his resolution to carry out his dream, and also this is the first suggestion we have in this adaptation that there is perhaps another motive for his experiments and theories – he wants recognition and glory, “One great golden chance that only I can take, when everything I’ve fought for is at stake, to make the mark that only I can make”. This reveals a determined and reckless side to his character, as he is prepared to risk everything, even his own life, to prove his theories. However, he was also prepared to experiment with subjects from his father’s mental asylum, and only subsequent to being turned down by the board of governors did he decide to use himself as the subject. So perhaps he is now also becoming a desperate man?
Throughout what has become known as the musical’s “anthem”, ‘This Is The Moment’ Jekyll prepares to take his potion and begin his experiment. The song is in E Major, which gives a positive, uplifting feeing to it, and the lyrics talk of Jekyll’s hopes for the future and his confidence that his experiment will work.(“This is the moment, this is the day, when I send all my doubts and demons on their way”) It conveys his determination, and his derision for those who have been against his theories (“For all these years, I’ve faced the world alone, and now the time has come to prove to them I’ve made it on my own”) There is an important line in the song – “I’ll gather up my past, and make some sense at last” - which hints at the possibility that Jekyll has perhaps done things in his past that he is not happy about and wants to atone for them by proving he can do some good for mankind. Later in the song he becomes more confident, more egotistical, and sings “This is the moment, damn all the odds, this day or never I’ll sit forever with the Gods” again suggesting he feels that what he is doing is worthy of note and will win him acclaim and recognition. This is also the last song Jekyll sings before he releases Hyde and begins to be taken over by him. We see a proud man, determined, ambitious and driven, about to initiate the beginning of his own downfall.
In the song ‘Transformation’, we see the first effects of the potion as Jekyll describes his symptoms and feels he could be dying. He can feel the power of his evil side taking hold of him (“Something inside me, a breathtaking pain, devours and consumes me and drives me insane”) He also reveals his initial revulsion for the character he has released (“Who is this creature that I see?”) Hyde then takes over and sings the chilling ‘Alive’ with short, powerful and rhythmic phrases, revelling in the feeling of power and invincibility, celebrating the sensation of being filled with evil( “I have a thirst that I cannot deprive, never have I felt so alive”) It is difficult to remember that this is in fact a part of Jekyll’s personality that we are witnessing, so different is it from the character we have seen so far, and yet we are reminded throughout the song as Hyde states that he has never felt so good, so strong , so alive. Released from the constraints of social etiquette and expected respectability, the unsavoury side of Jekyll becomes powerful, ruthless, and free. The same happens in the reprise of ‘Alive’, after Hyde has wandered the streets and committed his first murder. In contrast to Jekyll singing about sitting with the Gods, Hyde states “...I feel I’ll live on forever, with Satan himself as my guide, and I’ll show the world that tonight and forever, the name to remember’s the name Edward Hyde!”) Both sides of Jekyll’s character want recognition and fame for completely different reasons – although, ironically, recognition of either side will prove that Jekyll’s theory was indeed true, if poorly thought out and underestimated.
The next song we hear from Jekyll is the haunting ‘Obsession’ in which he considers what is happening to him and accepts that Hyde is indeed a darker side of himself, and that he must have been harbouring these feelings and depravities deep inside himself in order for them to be brought to the fore by Hyde. We hear Jekyll’s remorse, his self doubt, and his desperation. We also hear resignation and exhaustion.
“What streak of madness lies inside of me, what is the truth my fears conceal, what evil force makes Edward Hyde of me, what darker side of me does he reveal?”
“Am I the man that I appear to be, or am I someone I don’t know?”
Jekyll is desperate, feeling himself being dominated by the character of Hyde, and yet he manages to gather his strength and resolves to put things to rights, to conquer the evil inside himself and get back to where he began. In the song ‘The Way Back’ he remembers the dream he first had, the reasons he wanted to undertake his experiments, and that the good side of him is what matters. He sings “Somehow I’ve got to rebuild all the dreams that the winds have scattered, from what fate has shattered, I’ll retrieve what mattered.” He also asks God for his help, in contrast to Hyde being with Satan (“God you must help me carry on, when it seems all hope has gone”)
The most effective song through which to examine the way the characters are portrayed in the musical is the ‘Confrontation’ wherein Jekyll and Hyde battle for survival. It begins with Jekyll singing a reprise of the first verse of ‘Lost In The Darkness’, which takes us, and him, back to the beginning of the story. This time, however, it seems it is he who is lost in the darkness, he who is experiencing endless night – rather ironic when we consider it was his original intention to free his own father from such a plight. Hyde then takes over and sings, again with short, rhythmic phrases, telling Jekyll he will never set him free, never let him go. He expresses his supremacy over Jekyll (“I’m what you see when you face in the mirror. long as you live I will still be here” “You can’t control me, I live deep inside you. Each day you’ll feel me devour your soul”) Jekyll tries to reply, tries to tell Hyde he will be rid of him, but Hyde states that he will never be free of him, that in fact Jekyll IS Hyde, and always will be. This confrontation signifies Jekyll’s realisation that as long as he lives, Hyde will live too as they are one and the same. His repeated shouts of “NO!” convey his desperation, his anger, and his refusal to admit that he has such an evil side.
The music and orchestration of this piece add considerably to the atmosphere of the musical as a whole and to the representation of each side of Jekyll’s character. The roles of the orchestrator is vital in the success of a piece of musical theatre – Snelson states that in the 1960s, orchestration progressed from the traditional woodwind, brass and strings structure to a sound more akin to a big band, “centred on reeds and brass, supported by drum kit and (often electric) bass.” He says this created the “archetypal Broadway sound” to which we are now accustomed. This certainly is true of this score. In addition to excellent orchestration, as in Bizet’s “Carmen” and also in Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” Wildhorn utilises leitmotifs throughout the piece to signify which character is dominant at a particular time. The use of motif and leitmotif in the composition of music has been apparent for centuries – Sadie (1985, p.59) states that
“Composers have always used melodic recurrence as a means of giving shape and artistic unity to a composition”.
He also goes on to say that
“....it may be a phrase, of perhaps six or seven notes, or even a motif, or a figure, of two or three.”
Sadie explains that the composer uses the motif persistently, so that it becomes familiar to the listener and imprints itself on their mind, therefore giving the piece a sense of unity.
Specific instruments are also used to enhance the quality of each song and to intensify and exaggerate the personality and mood of each side of the character. Jekyll’s songs, before the introduction of Hyde, are written in the major key, with the exception of the first song, ‘Lost in the Darkness’, which begins in G# Minor but has a Major section, reverting back to the Minor towards the end. ‘Take Me As I Am’ and ‘This is the Moment’ are written in B flat major and E major respectively and as such are positive, uplifting and essentially “Broadway Musical” style songs. In contrast, the songs sung by Hyde, and also the ‘Confrontation’, which involves both personalities, are written in the minor key. ‘Alive’ and the ‘Alive’ reprise are written in A Minor, ‘Confrontation’ and ‘Dangerous Game’ are in E Minor, and the song ‘I Need To Know’, despite being sung by Jekyll, is in C# Minor as it is subsequent to Jekyll having begun to be dominated by Hyde. These minor keys create a sense of foreboding, of menace and danger, and are very effective in conveying the characteristics of both Jekyll and Hyde as the story unfolds.
Another effective way of enhancing the portrayal of the characters is through the use of different orchestration. For Jekyll’s songs, the scoring mainly uses piano, keyboard and strings, particularly violin and viola. This creates a light, mellow but thought provoking atmosphere, and suggests a character who thinks deeply, who is sensitive and who is not threatening. In comparison, the orchestration for Hyde’s songs also includes piano, but always alongside frantic fast percussion and drum rhythm. Tremolo is used to great effect in the string section, which creates tension and suggests the anticipation of impending disaster. Hyde’s songs are also enhanced by choral backing, occasionally using whispered text which is a repeat of lyrics sung by Hyde himself, but mainly singing, in harmony in minor chords, on an “ah” sound, creating an almost ethereal effect, an eerie addition to the orchestration which sounds threatening, frightening and intimidating. This adds to the effect of Hyde being “like Satan”. There are several time signature changes in Hyde’s songs, reflecting his unpredictability, and strong, punchy brass is used to punctuate his vocal line. His melody lines are short, repetitive and contain many accidentals, flattened or natural notes which further enhance the effect of the use of the minor keys. Hyde’s songs are driven, relentless, and have strong, final endings. All these aspects of orchestration underpin the strength and urgency of Hyde’s character. Later on in the score, as Jekyll begins to be dominated by Hyde, we hear the instruments which have signified Hyde’s character beginning to appear in Jekyll’s songs. This is most apparent in ‘Confrontation’ wherein although in the beginning Jekyll’s motif is clearly signified, eventually the brass, glissando in the strings section and the choral section begin to become more dominant than Jekyll’s instrumentation as Hyde emerges as the dominant force.
I will conclude by stating that I feel the depiction of character in the musical Jekyll and Hyde is very effective. Although the main protagonist (and, incidentally, antagonist) is more prominent in the musical than in the original novel, I do not feel that this detracts from the narrative – indeed I feel it adds depth to the character and helps us as the audience to be drawn into the action and to empathise with a character who we could have regarded with disdain and disgust. The libretto by Leslie Bricusse uses the clever repetition of phrases from the original novel, the addition of extra characters to give the protagonists existence more credence, and lyrics which give an insight into the emotions, motivations and dilemmas of the characters. Upon reading the original novel, I found it difficult to warm to any of the characters – no empathy was encouraged and the reader was never given the opportunity to discover the true personalities of the people involved in the story. The musical addresses this by providing more background to the characters and their relationships with each other, making them more believable and encouraging more depth of thought on the part of the audience as the tale signifies that the horrendous subject matter of the story could indeed apply to any living human being. After all – “In all of us there is the duality of good and evil and the only thing that is constant is change.” (Stevenson, 1886)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bricusse, L. Wildhorn, F. “Jekyll and Hyde” Hal Leonard 1990
Hellman, G.S., “The True Stevenson; A Study In Clarification” Boston, Little Brown, 1925
Jones, W.B, “Robert Louis Stevenson Reconsidered; New Critical Perceptives,” McFarland 2003
Latham, A. Sadie, S. “The Cambridge Music Guide”, Cambridge University Press, 1985
Osbourne, Lloyd ed. “Lay Morals; The works of Robert Louis Stevenson” Vailimia edition, Vol. 24, William Heinemann 1923
Rank, O. “Beyond Psychology” New York;Dover 1941
Rose, B.A. “Jekyll and Hyde Adapted; Dramatizations of Cultural Anxiety” Greenwood Publishing, 1996
Snelson J. Lamb,A.. "Musical." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 7 Oct. 2010
Stevenson, R.L, ed. Calder,J. “Strabge Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories” Harmondsworth, Penguin Books, 1979
