Marti Pellow splits himself in two for Jekyll And Hyde at Regent Theatre, Hanley

May 18 2011 by Will Harris, Crewe Chronicle

FIRST there was the morally fleet-footed Billy Flynn in Chicago. Then came the devilish Daryl van Horne in the Witches Of Eastwick. And now he’s splitting himself in two to play the naive Dr Jekyll and the murderous Mr Hyde in one evening.

Is Marti Pellow hooked on anti-heroes by any chance?

He explains: “What appealed to me about the part, apart from being a Gothic masterpiece, was the journey of being a good guy and you get to play the bad guy all in one sitting, and the whole arc of that performance in between.”

The show, due to arrive at Hanley’s Regent Theatre next week, is a major new tour of the hit Broadway musical penned by Frank Wildhorn and the legendary Leslie Bricusse (Scrooge, Dr Dolittle, Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory) and based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic gothic novella.

So what can Potteries and South Cheshire audiences expect?

Marti says: “We’re aiming to make it a wonderful show and to have the success that it’s had all over the world apart from the UK, which I don’t understand because no-one does Gothic horror quite like the British.

“Bill Kenwright has really pushed the boat out with this one. The design and costumes are incredible.

“It’s got great production values and you get not only to see me but some leading ladies as well and it’s a great two-and-a-half hours of escapism.”

This current project has been five years in the making, and it’s also the first time Marti has worked with Kenwright.

“Bill has been wanting to work with me for years,” says Marti. “He talks about his passion for his city, and that’s something I can relate to coming from Glasgow, and he’s a very passionate man about what he does and has a great production house.

“He takes some knocks, but for me he’s been an absolute pleasure to work with.”

It’s all a far cry from his Wet Wet Wet heyday, when the Scottish singer was topping the charts and packing out arenas performing hits like Goodnight Girl, Angel Eyes, and the iconic Love Is All Around.

But he maintains on the musical’s opening night at Bromley he was “more nervous than playing Madison Square Gardens”.

“Because it’s real to me,” he explains. “That’s what I draw my performance on.”

The 45-year-old laughs at the thought of taking formal acting lessons.

“I react, it’s as simple as that! I cannae put anything else in my head or I’ll be a smoking jacket and a cravat.

“And I draw from other movies and from my peers or things I watch on TV.

“With Daryl van Horne, a lot of the physicality of that came from cartoons for me because he was like a crow in the way he moved. It’s amazing where you get your inspiration from.”

While Mr Hyde can take care of himself (he “kills with great panache” Marti jokes), Dr Jekyll is an all together more complex character to pin down.

The singer-turned-actor says: “There’s a real plight with Dr Jekyll. He’s fundamentally flawed. He thinks he can eradicate the world of all evil which makes him blinkered.

“I want to make him accessible, that people care for his plight because within a space of a song he is out in the streets of London, killing.”

Marti is committing the next six months to the show, and says while he’s enjoying continuing to record albums, he’s also open to doing more musicals – he admits to fancying a tilt at Man Of La Mancha.

Then there’s another of Leslie Bricusse’s creations he also covets.

“I love Scrooge,” he says.

“And when Tommy Steele’s ready, when he’s had enough... you know! I love that Dickensian, Victorian vibe, it’s what British theatre does best.”

Jekyll And Hyde runs from Tuesday until Saturday, May 28. Shows start at 7.30pm, with 2.30pm matinees on the Wednesday and Saturday.

Tickets are £29.50-£32.50, to book phone 0844 871 7649 or visit www.ambassadortickets.com/Regent-Theatre