I'm not a great fan of "Jekyll & Hyde," but neither do I find Frank Wildhorn's cult-musical take on Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" completely unwatchable. There's a lot of problems with the work--particularly Leslie Bricusse's awkward lyrics (most egregious line: "What I choose to do is decided by me." Huh?)--but it can be entertaining in the right hands, the music theater equivalent of a fun but silly action movie. Unfortunately, the Broadway Television Network recording of the original New York production leaves us in the hands of David Hasselhoff, and both the show and the audience suffers as a result.
Hasselhoff came in near the end of "Jekyll & Hyde's" Broadway run in an attempt to bolster flagging audience numbers with a little name recognition. Name recognition is about all Hasselhoff brings to the dual role of the well-intentioned doctor and his vicious alter ego. As Jekyll, his performance is distressingly wooden; as Hyde, he mugs so ridiculously that he inspires giggles rather than shudders. And then when you think it can't get any worse, he opens his mouth to sing--and his shaky, mediocre warbling sucks away all the life from what should be some of the shows most dramatic moments (particularly the climax, a neat little solo/duet between the title characters).
It's unfortunate that Hasselhoff's presence irreparably damages "Jekyll and Hyde," because the rest of the cast is actually fairly decent. Andrea Rivette (as Jekyll's high-society fiancée) and Coleen Sexton (as a dance-hall girl who becomes a victim of Hyde's lust) are a delight to watch and hear in the female leads; their duet "In His Eyes" is the most dramatically effective moment in the production. Barrie Ingham and George Merritt also do nice work in roles they already immortalized on the cast recording. The rest of the cast makes do with what they can, but "Jekyll and Hyde" needs a strong lead in order to really work, and Hasselhoff ruins the musical's hope of succeeding on any level except an unintentional comedy.
Hasselhoff came in near the end of "Jekyll & Hyde's" Broadway run in an attempt to bolster flagging audience numbers with a little name recognition. Name recognition is about all Hasselhoff brings to the dual role of the well-intentioned doctor and his vicious alter ego. As Jekyll, his performance is distressingly wooden; as Hyde, he mugs so ridiculously that he inspires giggles rather than shudders. And then when you think it can't get any worse, he opens his mouth to sing--and his shaky, mediocre warbling sucks away all the life from what should be some of the shows most dramatic moments (particularly the climax, a neat little solo/duet between the title characters).
It's unfortunate that Hasselhoff's presence irreparably damages "Jekyll and Hyde," because the rest of the cast is actually fairly decent. Andrea Rivette (as Jekyll's high-society fiancée) and Coleen Sexton (as a dance-hall girl who becomes a victim of Hyde's lust) are a delight to watch and hear in the female leads; their duet "In His Eyes" is the most dramatically effective moment in the production. Barrie Ingham and George Merritt also do nice work in roles they already immortalized on the cast recording. The rest of the cast makes do with what they can, but "Jekyll and Hyde" needs a strong lead in order to really work, and Hasselhoff ruins the musical's hope of succeeding on any level except an unintentional comedy.