Inside Every Gentleman . . .

The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has been interpreted as an allegory for man's bestial nature, a pioneering piece of science fiction, a fable, a gothic thriller and a horror story. Robert Louis Stevenson's novella has been adapted for the stage, transformed into a musical, recast as a comedy and provided the inspiration for a number of superheroes. All of which speaks to the universal qualities of the tale: What is it inside each of us that we recognize so readily in the abhorrent Mr. Hyde? Is it his cruelty, his wanton pursuit of that which pleases him (and shocks the rest of society), his ruthlessness? Whatever form the story takes, it is always Hyde who draws the attention, even as he repels. Jeffrey Hatcher takes the larger-than-life animus of Hyde and scatters it across four different actors in his new stage adaptation, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, reflecting the mutable nature of this attractive fiend. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis stages Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus (130 Edgar Road; 314-968-4925 or www.repstl.org). The show continues every day but Monday through Sunday, April 12. Tickets are $14.50 to $65.
Tuesdays-Sundays. Starts: March 18. Continues through April 12, 2009