John Heffernan restricts himself to two personalities in his new release for Big Finish, Nick Briggs' adaptation of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, out now.Based on the acclaimed national, touring theatre adaptation from the award-winning Nicholas Briggs, this brand-new audio drama dives deep to explore the inner darkness of human nature through the respectable Dr Henry Jekyll's wicked alter ego, Edward Hyde.
Heffernan — currently starring in the National Theatre's Much Ado About Nothing and the historical TV drama Becoming Elizabeth — portrays both title roles. Barnaby Kay (Anatomy of a Scandal, Wallander, Doctor Who) also stars as the lawyer Gabriel Utterson whose curiosity leads him on an obsessive quest to uncover the unspeakable truth.
Dr Henry Jekyll believes that there are two distinct sides to men - one good, one evil. Intent on separating the two, he succeeds in his experiments. However, in doing so he unleashes Hyde, a monstrous and uncontrollable alter ego... Prepare for the fright of your life in a dramatic new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic and atmospheric Gothic melodrama, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Nicholas Asbury (Dr Hastie Lanyon), Robert Portal (Inspector Newcomen), Barnaby Edwards (Mr Richard Enfield), and Clare Corbett (Mrs Poole) feature in the ensemble cast.
Nicholas Briggs said: "I'm just so pleased, and maybe relieved, that it's all come together. There were various trials and tribulations during the production but it's all been done with a spirit of great creative cooperation and as much joy as there can be in something that's so dark. Everyone has worked so hard and with such dedication. It's been a long time coming but here we are, Jekyll and Hyde have arrived!"
John Heffernan added: "There's a reason that Jekyll and Hyde is so perennial and Nick's adaptation is perfect. It takes you to extreme places but yet it feels very human. It's a tale of hubris in that Dr Jekyll believes he's found a scientific breakthrough and that he can separate himself from all of the vices and urges that the rest of us have. The two characters become an embodiment of the different sides of everybody's nature and it becomes a moral story."
Barnaby Kay said: "I knew that Nick had this script for a while, so I was delighted to be asked to play Gabriel Utterson. Jekyll and Hyde is such a cracking classic and a frightening story about the human condition. This script is great and equally as disturbing as the original — it's a dark and really goosebumpy ride."
Big Finish Classics: Jekyll and Hyde is now available to own for just £14.99 (collector's edition CD box set + download) or £12.99 (download only), exclusively from the Big Finish website. Please note the box set edition is limited to 1,000 copies only.
Our interview with Nick Briggs and John Heffernan about the production will be live shortly.
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