2010 ~ Jekyll & Hyde
Thurles Musical Society lowered the curtain on their 64th annual production on Saturday evening last when Jekyll and Hyde closed in the Premier Hall after a five night run. The wonderful show which displayed the technical brilliance, superb acting and fabulous chorus and solo singing associated with the Society for many decades, was new to Thurles audiences who soon came to appreciate the tones created by Frank Wildhorn, the lyrics of Leslie Bricusse and the orchestrations of Kim Scharnberg.
Thurles Musical Society can be credited with bringing many different styles of show to the stage over the last few years with audiences having the opportunity to get their teeth into something new. So it was with Jekyll and Hyde - a musical which can be regarded as being rather dark at times. But, true to form, the Thurles crew under the Direction of Tony Finnegan, ably assisted by Mary Butler succeeded in bringing a superb show to stage with Choreography by Trisha McElgunn and Rosalie Butler, and Musical Direction by the well known, highly respected and excellent Mary Rose McNally. From the moment one entered the theatre, patrons were careered headlong into life in a London asylum which set the scene for the show. No, they weren't late in getting to the theatre - one of the creative ploys of the Director was to ensure that the audience was immediately transported to the scene. So, the chorus took to the stage earlier than the billing suggested in order to achieve this. A clever ploy.
Jekyll and Hyde, Thurles style, was hugely dependent on technical brilliance and sheer talent from the front line and chorus. The rather stark, entirely black set was transformed by the opening and closing of an amazing aperature, complete with projections, roll on laboratory, study, bedroom scene, Chapel, streets of London and many more. The smooth scene changes were facilitated by innovative and excellently constructed lift up doors which made a complicated set seem so easy to manage - a trait Thurles audiences have come to appreciate from Manager Tommy Sweeney and his team.
Lighting though played a masive role in this show as well - something for which Gerry Taylor can take a well deserved bow. With a very busy lighting plot helping to distinguish between the sinister Hyde and the tormened Jekyll, as well as creating the right suggestive atmosphere for the Red Rat scene led by the fabulous Linda Ryan, it was clear that Gerry Taylor had as busy a show as ever with J&H. Costumes also had to be spot on. And were. June Young, together with Costume Mistress Eidin Sweeney, had to achieve the right look between the rich and poor chorus and with the make-up lead team led by Geraldine Egan, they managed to achieve just that. All of the small touches made a big difference to the overall picture and helped bring a show to stage which was practically flawless.
The Premier Hall has witnessed many great shows down through the years with some great front lines, memorable numbers, and energetic choreography. Jekyll and Hyde will be remembered for it's superb front line led by Michael McLoughlin in the title role. Making his return to the stage after a brief absence, McLoughlin was truly superb in a role which demanded as much acting acumen as it did vocal supremacy. His constant presence on stage, dipping between the two characters - the tormented Jekyll and the deranged Hyde - made for a very demanding production for Michael McLoughlin who has been one of the finest local exponents of musical theatre for some time. The standing ovations accorded the cast and chorus throughout the week were certainly fully deserved in McLoughlin's case.
This was no one man show though. Linda Ryan as Lucy Harris and Joan Farrell as Emma Carew were also on top of their game - two very different roles, they were simply brilliant as they vied for Jekyll's affections in contrasting ways which reflected the different social classes they portrayed. Jonathan Gleeson and John Scott as John Utterson and Sir Danvers Carew respectively also played very prominent roles and were very well cast by the Direction team. Experienced campaigners, they worked very well with the Board of Governors of St Jude's Hospital, namely John Hayes as Mr Simon Stride, his uncle, Dixie Byrne as Lord Savage, Brendan Bailey as the Bishop of Basingstoke, Nina Scott as Lady Beaconsfield and Barry Derby as General Lord Glossop. Their roles were crucial in bringing the tale to life and illustrating the opposition to Dr Jekyll's research.
No modern musical would be complete without the presence of a sinister character lurking in the background. While Hyde might have covered this, the role of Spider played by Shane Willoughby certainly added to it. Flanked by the Acolytes - Cathal Walsh, Thomas Fitzgerald, Gary Dempsey and Frank Macken, they lurked in the background, with a menacing and at times disturbed appearance which chilled the atmosphere.
Musical highlights? There were many, but some of the ones which really stand out include This is the Moment, Someone Like You, Murder Murder, Facade, Sympathy Tenderness, Lost in the Darkness, and the Confrontation.
All associated with Thurles Musical Society can take a deserved bow for this wonderful show which was dedicated to the memory of founding member, the Late Canon William Noonan who died recently, and also Michael Carter, a man tho featured in many shows down through the years. Both men would have been very proud of their Society for this production and would loved to have been there to see the Thurles audiences rising and applauding as one at the curtain call.
Congratulations to all concerned.
Chorus Members:
Ber Ryan, Mary Callanan, Trisha McElgunn, Michelle Revins, Trisha Corrigan, Sarah Feehan, Caroline Coronally, Breda Byrne, Carol Ryan, Emma Lyons, Phil McNamara, Michelle O’Connell, Mary Long, Carol Ronayne, Serena Keating, Caitriona O’Mahony, Nina Scott, Anne Heffernan, Breda Sammon, Tara Gallagher, Josephine Doyle, Mary O’Flynn, Margaret Long, Linda Ryan, Joan Farrell, Veronica Dunne
Brendan Bailey, Dixie Byrne, Brian Gleeson, Jim Kennedy, Jonathon Gleeson, Gerard O’Hagan, Michael McLoughlin, Shane Willoughby, Shane Coy, Pat Hayes, Barry Derby, Eoin Everard, Mick O’Brien, Finbarr Shelly, Barry Cagney, Frank Macken, Gary Dempsey, Liam Crowe, Geraint Fyler, David Byrne, Philip Egan, PJ Maher, Sean Byrne, Cathal Walsh, Thomas Fitzgerald, Michael Blake, Tom Lanigan Ryan, John Butler, John Scott, Paul Stapleton, Michael Coppinger, Darragh Byrne, Adam Derby.