Aquila Theatre Company

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

"The Aquila Theatre Company's productions are simply magical." - Backstage

"Beautifully spoken, dramatically revealing and crystalline in effect." - New Yorker

The prolific Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, Kidnapped) virtually invented the genre of modern horror fiction with his gripping tale The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Set in Victorian London - a city of fog, dark alleyways, creaking doors and suspicious inhabitants, the story begins with a disturbing account of a small child being abruptly knocked down by a brutally ugly man who disappears into the shadowy London streets. Compelled to investigate, the lawyer Utterson begins a manhunt that plunges him into the deepest recesses of upper class, London society. As he delves into the murky activities of the distinguished Dr. Edward Jekyll, he discovers a man who, in his tortured quest to formulate a potion to create love and happiness, has unleashed the evil side of his humanity in the base, malformed and powerful Mr. Hyde.

Stevenson's story offers compelling views on the nature of human emotion and the bounds of scientific research, a fascinating detective story and a fictional parallel for the unsolved murders of 'Jack the Ripper.' In fact, the American actor Richard Mansfield, who played the role of Jekyll and Hyde in London in 1887, was a leading suspect in the Ripper case.

Aquila's new production of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde draws on the company's long tradition of adapting important classic stories for the stage (Homer's The Iliad, Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King, H. G. Wells' The Invisible Man). Aquila's bold and innovative storytelling, respect for the original text, and compelling stagecraft have been acclaimed by the New York Times as "making an old tale brim with timely resonance - enhancing its relevance to the 21st century." Using original music and choreography, and the best actors from London and New York, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde promises to be an unforgettable evening of spine-tingling, thoughtful and exciting theatre.

Innovative and dynamic, the Aquila Theatre Company has gained a well-earned international reputation as one of the foremost producers of touring theatre. Aquila presents high quality, imaginative productions of classical drama under the artistic leadership of its founder Peter Meineck and associate director Robert Richmond. Since its inception in 1991, the company has won both critical and academic acclaim for its work worldwide as it changes the perceptions of classical drama by freeing the spirit of the original text and allowing the widest possible audience to enjoy these great plays as live, visceral, and above all, entertaining theatre. Aquila tours extensively throughout North America and Europe and is the Company in Residence at New York University's Center for Ancient Studies. It has presented regular runs in New York and London, and multiple performances in major cities across the United States, including Los Angeles, Boston and Washington, D.C. Additionally, the company stages performances at festivals such as "Summer Shakespeare" at the 5,000-seat Mann Center in Philadelphia, the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. and the Bermuda Festival.