Maybe it is too late to be writing a review of a show that has closed but I only saw it on closing night. What a disappointment! The show was jekyll and Hyde as performed by the Runaway Stage Production company. A local Company in Sacramento, California. This was my fist time seeing this musical, and the first tiem at this theatre, most likely the last. It was pretty horrendous, where do I begin?

Lets start with the stage. so small so intimate, so neglected. A series of tiered platforms draped in charcoal grey cloths comprised the set. Various squeaky wooden stairs enabled the actors (I use the term loosely) to loudly thud up and down with their abhorrent blocking. At some point street lights were lowered on to the stage to indicate a street scene, that is all fine and dandy. but when removed they never really left. They hung over the heads of the actors like hammers ready to knock them out of the play. I liken it to survivor. I waited for the tribal council to speak. I prayed it was some sadistic version of Whack-A-Mole.

The Music was decent but for some reason the musicans couldn't seem to keep ahold of thier scores, instruments, and lights. Every hour or so there was a crash of a light or the aforementioned items falling off a metal stand and onto a wooden floor.

The Sound quality was just plain bad. The orchestra decided that they needed to audition for a major company and blasted out so loudly as to deafen the ears of the audience perhaps to block out poorly sung notes. So to combat that the director provided all major parts with microphones. which never went off even when backstage. It was a travesty. Funny, though, when onstage they were rarely on or loud enough to hear.

The acting or lack thereof was laughable. characters were broken like a greek wedding reception. It as OPA! from he moment the ensemble stepped out. One gentleman Playing the father to jekylls love interest emma, was just horrible, deadpan, think Ben Stein meets Tommy Chong.

Now on to the singing. The lead was belting out sort of shouting his words at the audience trying to force us to submit into believing his acting. The two female leads were excellent though they didnt' mesh well during the duet. It felt as thought lead were chosen based soley off thier ability to belt out the resounding notes as oppose to being the best overall, because they weren't. Everything about this production was mediocre at best. A mediocre high school production.

By
Maiku