New revival of Jekyll & Hyde musical announced

Exclusive: Producers Lambert Jackson have confirmed that a workshop for a new production of Jekyll & Hyde – The Musical is set for April 2022.

"We're thrilled to be bringing a new version of this classic musical to life," they commented. "This workshop process will explore a darker, grittier side to the story, with the aim to reflect London as it is now – a place with a rich, diverse and enigmatic history. There could not be a better time than now to bring a show to London's West End which is so intrinsically connected with the city itself and explores the effect that the court of public opinion can have on the divisions between us."

Originally conceived by Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden, the 1990 musical features music by Wildhorn and a book by Leslie Bricusse, freely adapted from the 1886 Gothic novella "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson. It tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll, whose experiments accidentally lead to the creation of a murderous counterpart by the name of Mr. Edward Hyde. An epic battle between good and evil ensues as Hyde wreaks havoc in the streets of London.

Alongside Wildhorn, the creative team for this new incarnation includes scriptwriter Alexander Dinelaris, perhaps best known for his contributions to the Oscar-winning screenplay of Birdman. With Bricusse's blessing, Dinelaris has been charged with "an almost complete revision of the book", as well as a reworking of the ending. Additional creative team members include director Jonathan O'Boyle, associate director Annabel Mutale Reed, musical director Leo Munby, movement director/choreographer Sarah Golding, set designer Morgan Large, sound designers Jonny Dickie and Joshua Robins, and casting director Emma Norman.

Auditions are scheduled to take place from 11 to 14 January in London with recalls towards the end of January. Demonstrating a commitment to inclusive casting, the production is proactively seeking applicants without regard to disability, race, age, colour, national origin, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis.