Focus Birmingham

Vidar Hjardeng

Review of audio described performance of Jekyll and Hyde at the Birmingham Hippodrome on Saturday, 9 April 2011 – from Vidar Hjardeng

It is quite some time since I went to a musical that I hadn’t seen before and enjoyed it so much, but this was the case with Saturday’s audio described matinee of Jekyll and Hyde at the Birmingham Hippodrome. Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic gothic novel – with music by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn and lyrics by award-winning composer Leslie Bricusse - this is the story of the respectable, decent and brilliant, but obsessive, scientist Dr Jekyll whose sadistic alter ego Mr Hyde wreaks havoc across Victorian London in this, dark, twisted tale about love, redemption and the seductive power of evil.

On our pre-show touch tour visually impaired patrons and their companions, were taken onto the stage featuring a London backdrop featuring the up market Regent’s Park facades and the sleazy Spider’s Web, which was a Camden Town brothel. We were also shown Dr Jekyll’s laboratory and a number of the key props such as a bed in the brothel, another bed with its restraining straps in the Hospital for the Mentally Ill, and an old hand cart used for, amongst other things, wheeling off the murdered Lucy whose body was then sold for dissection.
As we explored the set we had the unexpected bonus (especially for the women!!) of a brief appearance from the star of the show, Marti Pellow, who had a few words with us before starting his warm-up. Normally matinee touch tours at the Hippodrome start at 1 pm but on this occasion it began at 12.30 which allowed us to both enjoy an unhurried examination of the set and props along with a leisurely lunch in one of the 2 theatre restaurants which still gave us time to take our seats for the introductory notes 15 minutes before curtain-up. As I have often mentioned before, first class audio description requires a lot of preparation with the describers constructing their script by watching a DVD recording of the show. On this occasion however when describer, Margaret Spittles, put her DVD in the machine it wouldn’t work! Consequently because of this dud DVD, Margaret had to come up to the Hippodrome to watch Friday evening’s performance during which she made notes which she then worked into a script – late into the night. Had Margaret not told me of these technical difficulties I would certainly not have been any the wiser as she did a fantastic job, and her detailed audio description certainly enhanced my enjoyment of the performance.

The next audio-described performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome will be Thriller based on the music of Michael Jackson, on the afternoon of Saturday 30 April 2011 and details on ticket prices, how to book headsets and places on the touch tour, can be obtained from the box office on 0844 338 5000.