Jekyll and Hyde is one of my all-time favorite musicals. I've seen it on stage many times and have every recording made (even the old Colm Wilkinson-Linda Eder concept album!). I was given this video as a gift and when I read that David Hasselhoff was starring, I had the same reaction that I'm sure many of you did: "The Baywatch guy? You've got to be kidding me."
...but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I think many people wanted so badly to hate David Hasselhoff in this that they automatically wrote him off and didn't give him a chance. Was he the best Jekyll/Hyde I've seen? Well, no. His singing voice was sort of inconsistent. There were times when it really reached out with dramatic power, and other times when it suffered from a little too much vibrato for my taste. Believe it or not, it was his *acting* (surprise, surprise!) that impressed me the most. I think that Mr. Hasselhoff's talent was perhaps wasted on screen. He does a fine job as a stage actor, and has obviously come a long way from his Baywatch days. He seems to be more at home in front of a live audience. His Hyde impressed me the most. He shows a skillful use of the eyes and body language.
Hasselhoff is surrounded by a talented supporting cast. I like Coleen Sexton's rather cute, sweet portrayal of Lucy. It offers a unique contrast to Linda Eder's sultry rendition. My only criticism of Sexton's performance is a personal preference issue: she belts too much when she sings, and extends her belting range too high. It sounds painful to me.
Andrea Rivette is a class act as Emma Carew, Jekyll's fiancee. Her voice is beautiful, and her poise perfect for the role. George Merritt and Barrie Ingham were outstanding as John Utterson and Sir Danvers Carew, respectively. I absolutely loved Merritt's voice. The rich, deep quality of it carried over to his speaking lines as well.
Overall, a good effort by all.
...but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I think many people wanted so badly to hate David Hasselhoff in this that they automatically wrote him off and didn't give him a chance. Was he the best Jekyll/Hyde I've seen? Well, no. His singing voice was sort of inconsistent. There were times when it really reached out with dramatic power, and other times when it suffered from a little too much vibrato for my taste. Believe it or not, it was his *acting* (surprise, surprise!) that impressed me the most. I think that Mr. Hasselhoff's talent was perhaps wasted on screen. He does a fine job as a stage actor, and has obviously come a long way from his Baywatch days. He seems to be more at home in front of a live audience. His Hyde impressed me the most. He shows a skillful use of the eyes and body language.
Hasselhoff is surrounded by a talented supporting cast. I like Coleen Sexton's rather cute, sweet portrayal of Lucy. It offers a unique contrast to Linda Eder's sultry rendition. My only criticism of Sexton's performance is a personal preference issue: she belts too much when she sings, and extends her belting range too high. It sounds painful to me.
Andrea Rivette is a class act as Emma Carew, Jekyll's fiancee. Her voice is beautiful, and her poise perfect for the role. George Merritt and Barrie Ingham were outstanding as John Utterson and Sir Danvers Carew, respectively. I absolutely loved Merritt's voice. The rich, deep quality of it carried over to his speaking lines as well.
Overall, a good effort by all.