Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-26
JEKYLL, HYDE & CO.
"Oabriolst's" Dispassionate Review of q
Remarkably Good Play, Written by
Himself That is, the Review.

A Personal rphosis-The j ibberinl
Hyde, the Calm Jekyil. the Unclaimed
Audienoe-rhs Grand Finale
and Denouemsnt.
Last night attended show BY tn,
name of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde" One
man were both of them. The piece differ.
In many points of similarity from that old
but frst-clsss Shakspearesn skit, comedy
of Errors" and from that bright dime-mu
scum cantata, the Siamese twins. DR.
Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde are two distinct indi
viduals. but make use of the same lungs
and linger within the limits Of the same
skin.
Its q remarkable story, full Of gloom,
Kisses. snsrls and throb. The audience
never feels quite sure that 1t Is not going
into Mysteries until the curtain is let hang
down at the end of the last act, and the
just depicted by that soulful dirge, 'Biddy
Nolan's Ball."
People who are not acquainted, by Pc
rusal, with DR.. Jekyll. and his business
associate, Mr.. Hyde, or were not present at
the show last night, will be In
terested II l give clear, sue
cinct account of the piece, which
is dramstizatIon Of Stephenson's famous
and furious novel Of the same name. DR..
Jekyll Is benevolent middle aged physl-
clan Of large practice and an Office full Of
samples-legs, arms, necks, ETC., that he has
whitfield of Of people In the dreamy pro-
cess of surgery. All these spocimen cop
les Of deceased or fractional citizens are
kept in pure alcohol, and so far from being
cast down, are in the best Of spirits. DIR.
Jekyil is q thoughtful man, and keeps up
with the procession. He has high, pale
brow, good clothes and an air that comes
from regular meals, ard no anxiety
about the meteoric approach OF rent day
with nothing In the sinking fund
but the heart of the tenant. The
doctor Is not satisfied with himself. He
wouldn't have cared II he had been twins,
but In the absence OF the requisite number
of himselves to become plural, he does the
next best thing, of which more later on. I
One day DR.. Jekyll was in his labrstory,
revolving in his mind the relation of the
moons attraction TO the prevalence of
eczema The doctor was thoughtful man
who used his thinker for something
loftier and more noble than place Of
repose for his silk hat 1t was In
this mood that he inadvertently mixed to-
gether some salve used to rub the optic
nerve with, and balsam preparation made
to ameliorate the lungs. The two effsr-
vesced, and feeling thirsty. he quaffed It
off. The Doctor was quaffist from clear
up the valley. and he knew what he was
about The effect was remarkable. Any
body who has ever drank soda water, and
had 1t sigh up from the cellar and hit him
a knock In the nose and almost lift of the
lid of his head, can know how the Doctor
felt. In moment great transformation
set In. His clothes commenced to ft him with
difficulty and hesitation. His face grew
drawn, cold and devilish, like landlords
when q tenant suggests new hoop around
the rain-water barrel. His hands became
claws, his hair grew long, matted and un-
kempt and II wouldn't stay kempt any more
His eyes looked like Goals of fire and would
sin till late at night He became deformed
like monkey hideous, snarling, Kissing
incarnation Of deviltry, such as one would
hate to meet on the shady side
Of the street. He looked a. much like q
night mare as was possible, considering the
hopeless disparity Of sexes. He looked like
q fiend who would poke beans into baby's
ears and then refuse to teach Il the deaf
and dumb alphabet. He was washpanful
Of mad rats.
Dr.. Jekyll was pleased with the change
He had been good and benevolent and in
nocuous SO long that the words of the song,
''Will you love me when l mould" had
to ring through his head un-
pleasantly. Consequently he was pleased
when he found he could turn himself into
Mr.. Hyde and 60 out with the boys and raise
hades on the fertile soil of dissi-
patton and paint the town so red that 1t
1T up the whole congressional district Till
you could hear Q pin drop. He got TO tax
ng this drug quite frequently, and for DIR.
Iekyu to be turned into Mr.. Hyde was
almost as remarkable as to see q
,ow turned into barn. Itwas interesting
70 see the good DR.. Jekyll take little
something out of bottle and come out that
,hrieking, monstrous ansthema on man
nd-Hyde-withou the use OF red fire or
. wash-rag.
The most curious transformation-the
most startling. vivid and appalling Of all
vas the change in the DOCTORS clothes. As
Dr.. Jekyll he was well-dressed profess
Iional man. When he became Mr.. Hyde
lis plug hat commenced to manifest
symptoms of paralysis and neuralgia. 1t
hrank, shivered, covered and trembled and
inally became battered old Stetson that
goat wouldn't chew In an alley. His
Prince Albert coat, which was of the shiny
,ariety, consequent upon much sitting
lown, trembled, contracted and accum-
n at fnd ~
pots, as though Mr.. Hyde was
actory. The drng seemed to permeate the
,lothing through the pores to the Hyde.
This remark has no flies buzzing In Its VI
Unity.
Mr.. Hyde was not Q valuable acquisition
70 sinking around, his hands clinched and
lis form bent in the shape Of an italic
s, snarling. swapping and Kissing like
he offspring Of Q dissolute snake and
! laxly-moral goose. When he met child
N the street he knocked him down and
almly walked on him, till the child was
lead and its hair mussed. He finally MUIR
lered the father of the girl with whom his |
,etter half, DR.. Jekyll. was in love, by
him in the gray hair with cane |
,elonging to DR.. JekylL
The DEMONSTRATION Of the play has added |
good deal to 1t. I don't know much |
bout dramatization. / attempted once to |
the multiplication table with such |
'ery poor success, that l abandoned 1t and |
urned my attention to . stage version of |
he conjugation Of English verbs.
Well, Jekyn got to taking 30 much of |
he mixture that his system got innocu- |
ated with 1t and he would drift |
If into Mr.. Hyde without meaning to or |
living the signal for the property-msn to |
over the gas. Once when he was talking |
o his best girl and arranging for . church |
ocial he merged of into Mr.. Hyde and |
cared the luminous contents out Of the |
.irl. He then seized her by the waist and |
old her that he had dropped In on his way |
lown town to assassinate her severely. !
The girl screamed and told him to unhand |
Ter villain or she would 90 In and c0nsult |