Jekyll & Hyde starring Constantine Maroulis

They treated last night as a Premiere even though this is a show that has been done before. Whatever they changed did not evolve it from a mid-90s work that seemed highly derivative of late 80s musicals and especially Phantom without ever presenting a compelling song that got you.

It is an odd plot. A doctor wants to separate good from evil for mental health and pitches it to a corrupt board. You separate good and evil with chemicals. Problem is that can't possibly cure anything because it all is still in you. How is that suppose to work? But he does it, immediately starts killing everyone he did not like and finally himself. I hope Stevenson was more clever. So it is not exactly a compelling plot.

So does the music make up for it. It is all Les Mis wanna be a hit music. Sounds almost like the real deal. There are joy songs, despair songs, stuffy elite songs, hope songs and of course a farewell song or two. But if you listen to the lyrics they all seem to be written to be sung as hits without the musical, direct reference and story logic are avoided. No Rain in Spain or Doe a Dear that might ruin the top 40 potential.

The net is entertaining spectacle and sound but not terribly engaging. We do not really like Jekyll or see his relationships as sincere. And haven;t we seen it all elsewhere, heard it all before and better done with a better plot and songs?

It is well sung and nicely staged. The music is pleasant. It moves along well. Let's give it an OK.