Well, you guys asked for it! Confrontation Jekyll/Hyde - Robert Cuccioli Recorded on 11.15.97 (November 15th, 1997), at the Plymouth Theatre, NYC. 1997 Original Broadway Cast
The role of Dr. Jekyll/Edward Hyde in this musical has to be one of the most demanding theater performances in history right? Considering all the vocal and physical changes.
I'm now studying opera but back in high school I performed this show and it's ridiculously hard. 22 solos, most of the show is you, and incredibly physically and mentally taxing. I had a strong understanding of vocal technique for both characters and I still had to completely retrain my voice after it - it's hell but I don't regret a second, best show I've ever done and would love to do it again anyday.
Anyone else fascinated by how his performance is so good that his Hyde literally looks like a different person? Not just in posture, but in his face too. Masterful.
He was incredible, as was Chuck Wagner who played the part in the first national tour (I saw him play it in San Francisco. And unfortunately the only professional recording so far is David Hasselhoff in the lead. Who was…….a choice
I was fortunate enough to witness this live in NYC in 97. One of my first Broadway shows, and it always stuck with me. It’s incredible that a clip from a camcorder in the 90s rivals the majority of productions today.
I was there too- I was on break with my college for a journalism conference and I decided to catch the matinee of Jekyll....best show I've ever seen - hands down. He was perfection. And Linda Eder is a goddess. I'm seeing her live tomorrow night. She's been a favorite of mine since the late 80's.
His transitions are so smooth. When I watch Hasselhoff perform this, you can see him begin to move before the end of the bar, whereas Cuccioli turns around right at the correct beat. Also, he does a good job differentiating his Jekyll and Hyde voices.
No offense to Hasselhoff, but Robert is significantly better tbh. The latter didn’t get the Tony nomination for nothing. He also does a better job physically differencing Jekyll and Hyde, with his hair going over his face and his stance
@@Howlingburd19 His transformation and "Alive" were also significantly better. And "This is the Moment" was also much better by Cucccioli. I mean Robert totally owned this character.
Seth Traughber I like this version more than Warlow’s because it’s more aggressive, and while Warlow show’s how desperate Jekyll is, he doesn’t show the aggressive and evil side of Hyde that is showcased in this version.
They did a good job portraying this on Broadway. The idea of the internal struggle was very well conveyed. I was fortunate enough to see it before Robert ended his run with the show.
Can we talk about how awesome that Jekyll is the right and Hyde is the left of the body. It's genius from a symbolic standpoint as the left is often associated with evil or Satan .
@@alexgrossi2209 I know I'm late, but anyway, it all comes back to the medieval times. Most people are right handed, so left handed people where seen as different, and in the middle ages, different=evil, so the left hand was called "The hand of the devil", and left handed people were burned at the stake! Is the same -lack of- logic with redheads, red hair is different, different=evil, burn at the stake!
@@Howlingburd19 I thought he won the Tony, but only nominated? This seems like a Tony award winning performance to me. I have seen lesser performances win the award.
I watch Hasselhoff, then I watch Evans and then I watch this man... No disrespect intended to either the Hoff or Evans but they should button up their shirts and never touch this roll again after Robert Cuccioli's defining performance. Incredible. The only version I like more is Anthony Warlow's but again he had the advantage of only having to sing it.
Agreed. I would've loved to hear Anthony sing this live. His studio recording is epic. This performance was easily the best live one I've seen though. Remarkable.
I agree with you. I don't know if it is because Warlow is so awesome, or because he was in a studio and didn't have to sing it on stage. At least the Anthony Warlow recording will always exist :D
+Morgan Mailhiot There are a few other versions I do think are better but are more obscure and need more praise. The Korean versions, Marti Pellow, and the Japanese version. They all manage to give me the same feeling as I did with the Warlow version.
Every time I see this I am stunned by RC's performance- his voice, his acting, his every movement- he was perfection in this role of a split personality. I doubt there ever was or will be a portrayal that is better.
Really good. This song makes me laugh every time, because I know if I preformed this show I would mess up terribly during this song. Id probably end up sing hyde with jekyll hair.
I was fortunate enough to watch this live, and this musical is a masterpiece. I still listen to the soundtrack now and then, but nothing compares to seeing it live. His performance was outstanding. Almost 25 years ago, and I can still recall this song live.
...I am glad I was able to see this show when it was on Broadway. I remember waiting a long time for it to actually happen. I hope it comes back again.
I was literally a baby when it came out. I'm so mad time travel doesn't exist, it's a crime really that this is the best quality I'll ever get to see this in
If you EVER can See Cuccioli do this it will Blow your Socks off! No one... I mean NO ONE can match his performance. It was the most impressive piece of acting that I've ever seen with my own eyes!
This is who I think about when I picture Jekyll and Hyde. This is genuinely fantastic. His dynamic range and stamina is amazing. That's why I've chosen this specific piece for my performing arts exam. It really is a gorgeous piece of theater
It is so incredible how he can transform between characters right before our eyes. Such a powerful and amazing performance. I've only seen a community theater version, but the actor was also phenomenal. This seems like one of the most challenging roles to play! Brilliantly done
Yes Warlow is great but I hope you realize his version was an album only, not a live performance, he recorded both characters separately, not switching between back and fourth between them like in the performance seen in the video. Its much harder to change your voice back and fourth rapidly like that. If you compare his Hyde to Cuccioli's "pure" Hyde performances, Rob's Hyde is actually more of a difference from his Jekyll than Warlow's Hyde is from Warlow's Jekyll.
BaxionDumathros (this is a late reply) The only real difference between Warlow's Jekyll and Hyde is that Hyde is a bit deeper and it's less singing and more growling
This is still my favorite song from this show. Cuccoli is just absolutely phenomenal in this role. It just gives me chills every time I watch him (and by that, I mean the good kind).
A- freaking- mazing!!!!! Wow, can this guy perform, sing, take my breath away- name it!!! He's the best I've seen in the role I think (from what is on YT)- just....wow.... thanks for posting!
Bless you for posting this. I accidentally ended up seeing part of Hasselhoff's version of this, so being able to watch this brilliant performance is exactly what I needed. So glad it's still here!
Okay so when I listened to this song on the soundtrack, I honestly thought it was two actors singing this song...I'm actually shook it's ACTUALLY the same person
His ability to fluctuate between the two so very drastically different voices is just MINDBLOWING! How can one man have SO much talent? I love the line "I'll see you there, Jekyll" WOW!!
i saw this play in ny when i was a teenager. i have to say this was the best thing that i saw. excuse my language but fucking beautiful there are no words for it. cheers to a fellow long islander!
Thank you!! Thank you! Thank you! I watched him perform this when it first came to America, in 1998. It was my senior trip and I was blown away! Such an amzing show an cast in such a teeny tiny theatre! He was amazing! Even thiugh I felt a bit ripped off, cuz all I had known was the more ummmm salacious British version. Now I have something to show people when they say Hoff was good. I can show them true talent.
I've been trying to figure out. What canonically happens during this song? At what points does Jekyll take which actions? I feel like there's a suicide attempt in here but I can't tell for sure, or where it is.
Stealthlock Utterson walks in on Hyde in Jekyll's lab, and confronts him. So Hyde transforms back and and Jekyll begs Utterson to take a letter to Lucy because he fears Hyde will kill her. Utterson leaves immediately and upon his exit Jekyll sings The Way Back at the end of the song he is shown to painfully transform back into Hyde. The next scene shows Utterson entering Lucy's home with Jekyll's note. Jekyll in his note, begs her to leave and gives her money. Utterson leaves when Lucy agrees to leave. However before she leaves, Lucy sings A New Life. Immediately after. A new life, Hyde appears in Lucy's home. He notices Jekyll begged her to leave and Hyde, not wanting Jekyll to win, kills Lucy while singing a reprise of Sympathy, Tenderness to her. Once she is dead, Hyde transforms back into Jekyll and looks in horror at what he has done. He then starts a reprise of Lost in the Darkness, but not without Hyde interrupting him and turning into Confrontation. The number is with Jekyll sort of talking to himself about his father and Hyde attempting to take total control. But Jekyll resists. And they go back and forth. If I am correct, because in the novel, Jekyll committed suicide by gunshot, some adaptations of the show have shown Jekyll and Hyde fighting for a gun. I don't think that's the case of confrontation though, as in the lost in the darkness bit at the beginning of the song, he still says that he will find the answer and never desert his father. So even with all he's done, he's still determined to his work. So the best answer I can give is a "no" I don't think there's a suicide attempt in this song. (I can answer this as a male swing in a production of this show. I've had to study all of the plot very carefully)
Thanks so much for taking the time to write this. It's a great help for one of the biggest plot points! Do you know what happens right after Confrontation ends?
Stealthlock Now that I'm looking at the video more, if you're referring to Jekyll reaching his hands up as if he were to try to place a noose around his neck, that is not the case. Notice how he faces forward when singing lost in the darkness as he looks into the mirror. Then when Hyde comes in, Hyde is bunched over and looking to his lower right as if he's talking to someone. Then Jekyll looks to his upper left and reaches his hands up there quite a bit as if he's talking to somebody up there. I believe this is to symbolize the vision that he's talking to the Hyde in his mind as if Hyde is the devil on his shoulder. His left shoulder, the evil one. And Hyde is looking down at jekyll. It's hard to block with only one person but I think this is what Cuccoli is doing
Stealthlock three months pass and a final reprise of facade happens, where Utterson narrates a bit. Then the scene shifts into the wedding ceremony of Jekyll and Emma. Jekyll, who has not been Hyde for 3 months begins to transform just before saying his vows. Stride confronts him and Hyde kills him. Danvers confronts him, and Hyde knocks him aside. Hyde then seizes Emma and Utterson draws the sword from his cane and demands Hyde let her go. Hyde threatens to kill Emma, so Utterson backs off. Emma begs Hyde to not hurt her because she still sees Henry in him. He transforms back into Jekyll as he begs Utterson to kill him and save them all. Utterson cannot bring himself to hurt his friend so Jekyll impales himself on Utterson's blade. Emma then holds Henry in her arms as he dies and the show ends.
@canegirl09 Unfortunately, I don't know what was going through the minds of everyone in the ATW during the Tony Awards voting time in early 1997, but I agree that he was robbed of his Tony. However, Robert didn't go home empty-handed for Jekyll & Hyde (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Joseph Jefferson Awards). Portraying multiple and complex characters battling within oneself with a passionate and heart-breaking singing voice (in a good way) beats out a charismatic lawyer on stage any year.
it’s so great to see how different people interpret the transformations in this song. Some are more slow and painful but his are so immediate. very deliberate
WOW he has an amazing Hyde! Really truely amazing, especialy the way he's saying "I'll see you there Jekyll!" in the end! It's fantastic! I do, however, miss a little acting.. He is not really creepy in his way of behaving Hyde, but his voice! Wow!
@DivaRhd Thank you! Nobody else seems to have realized that haha. LOVE both of them, just one acted in voice and the other acted in voice and appearance.
While I applied Roberts performance, I think the last word "never" should've been said more like a scream of defiance, as opposed to just a song, Word. David Hasselhoff, in spite of the hilarity of his performance, pull this off, Jekyll is being tormented by his other half, so there has to be emotion behind that defiant last word.
@JokersGirl0711 When I met Robert Cuccioli at the stage door when he was in his second year on Broadway, I said the exact same thing to him. He was very gracious and humbly thanked me for the compliment.
@racharooenator Honestly I watched David Hasselhoffs version of it just yesterday and really didn't expect much - A little shocked, to be honest that I found myself deeply impressed! What presence! The acting was good, his face was alive with the different persons character.
@videk2010 I actually find it quite amazing how even tough he doesn't do much that there's still so many feelings and such passion in this scene. Sometime simplicity is the way to go :)
The 'No's are just written in such a difficult way to act, at least in the traditional blocking. No matter who does it, it always looks, and sounds, a bit awkward. The only time I've heard it done smoothly is on my CD, but I believe that they used advanced sound mixing. But maybe not. My main issue is that when he has to switch characters between a phrase, the illusion of them is broken because of the extreme difficulty of the phrase. In this song, it has to be perfect or the illusion breaks.
i like the hyde versions of him & andrew- they really have the toughness of hyde & purity of jekyll . it’s hard to distinguish switching back & forth & that breathing technique. david hasselhoff & the others tried because demanding , but i felt more emotion with Him & the original.
Yes! In previews I heard it was done both ways to see what worked best. My friend went twice and saw it both ways. I went once and they did 'Confrontation" with the Hyde image being on a screen behind him and Jeckyll throwing something at it at the end of the song and it appearing to shatter and pieces falling to the ground. I believe that's how it was...it was a looooong time ago. I actually liked it that way as well. Never saw it live with this version unfortunately.
I can see why this song is so difficult to perform. it requires 3 things to excel in: physical, mental, and vocal prowess. Physical for the rapid switching, vocal for the rapid change of voices(including ranges oh dear lord!), and the mental capacity to switch between 2 characters convincingly in the blink of an eye. Trust me... I've been in theater and me practicing this, with the rapid switches, is almost ungodly difficult to make it a convincing struggle between 2 characters the whole time! And this is from somebody who has played trekkie monster, a puppet that requires 2 puppeteers, a grungy voice, and make emotions flow into that very puppet!
I totally agree! As far as I know, though, Warlow's wasn't live, so I feel that I can't compare them. Warlow's was incredible and he cleverly overlapped the voices to make them "interrupt" each other, but it takes more stamina to do it on stage, when you have to do both at once instead of recording them separately. This isn't a diss on Warlow, though, he's probably my favorite singer. If he did do it live, though, and I missed it, please correct me (and send me the link!).
That's interesting and a bit of forshadowing! I'm not sure if you know, but he is now Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin in Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark and he is AMAZING in it!
Oh, thank you so much for posting this! I love listening to Robert's version of the Confrontation on cd, but it was even better to see a video of it! I'm so subscribing now! *clicks subscribe button* Umm...do you think you could post his Dangerous Game, please? I would really love to see that. :)
Ok this has always bothered me, its probobly a very simple answer but how does he go back and forth between the transformation, that is with his hair. I was gonna attempted doing something similair to an effect for a Haunted house J&H but i could never get it down right whatever wig i used
@HydeCorner Oh please, I am begging you, share. I'm not what you'd call a fan of this show, but I can appreciate the potential it had before it started suffering from Too Many Cooks Syndrome, and I'd like to see how it evolved, or devolved, from the original staging.
Hasselhoff's transitions were cleaner and more distinct, but the voice that Cuccioli has is infintely beyond Hoff. Not to mention this performance is good throughout, not just when he's hyde, like Hoff's is
The role of Dr. Jekyll/Edward Hyde in this musical has to be one of the most demanding theater performances in history right? Considering all the vocal and physical changes.
If you watch the Hasslehoff recording, he actually faints at the end of The Way Back due to the amount of effort he had to put in
JD Calabrese I performed this performance for my high school theatre class once! :D
Oh, yeah, it's up there. You really need a strong actor and singer to play this part. This isn't a show you cast lightly.
I'm now studying opera but back in high school I performed this show and it's ridiculously hard. 22 solos, most of the show is you, and incredibly physically and mentally taxing. I had a strong understanding of vocal technique for both characters and I still had to completely retrain my voice after it - it's hell but I don't regret a second, best show I've ever done and would love to do it again anyday.
You have to be an amazing actor to preform this and singing is really close behind
Anyone else fascinated by how his performance is so good that his Hyde literally looks like a different person? Not just in posture, but in his face too. Masterful.
He was incredible, as was Chuck Wagner who played the part in the first national tour (I saw him play it in San Francisco. And unfortunately the only professional recording so far is David Hasselhoff in the lead. Who was…….a choice
Those screams of "no!" are just impossibly perfect. His transitions are flawless. Even seeing a recording is breathtaking.
I was fortunate enough to witness this live in NYC in 97. One of my first Broadway shows, and it always stuck with me. It’s incredible that a clip from a camcorder in the 90s rivals the majority of productions today.
Anthony, cover when?😉
I truly envy you
wow i’m so jealous.
I was there too- I was on break with my college for a journalism conference and I decided to catch the matinee of Jekyll....best show I've ever seen - hands down. He was perfection. And Linda Eder is a goddess. I'm seeing her live tomorrow night. She's been a favorite of mine since the late 80's.
@Chris Baer it is the best show I've ever seen. It was amazing. His performance was out of this world. Absolute Perfection.
His transitions are so smooth. When I watch Hasselhoff perform this, you can see him begin to move before the end of the bar, whereas Cuccioli turns around right at the correct beat. Also, he does a good job differentiating his Jekyll and Hyde voices.
I'd say Cuccioli had the best distinction between the two
You need distinction
No offense to Hasselhoff, but Robert is significantly better tbh. The latter didn’t get the Tony nomination for nothing. He also does a better job physically differencing Jekyll and Hyde, with his hair going over his face and his stance
@@Howlingburd19 His transformation and "Alive" were also significantly better. And "This is the Moment" was also much better by Cucccioli. I mean Robert totally owned this character.
His "I'll see you there, Jekyll" gave me chills!
I love how when he switches back and forth between Jekyll and Hyde, even the skin appears to become more pale. It’s amazing what lightning can do
I love warlow but he was in a studio, this guy is awesome. This is one hell of a hard song to sing live and he does it really well
Seth Traughber I like this version more than Warlow’s because it’s more aggressive, and while Warlow show’s how desperate Jekyll is, he doesn’t show the aggressive and evil side of Hyde that is showcased in this version.
To celebrate 25 years of the Concept Recording, they are doing two performances in Australia. Anthony Warlow won't be doing this in a studio anymore!
I think this guy and Warlow have really similar voices anyway, so it works! I agree he really acted it out well!
@@deltaloraineit’s so sad that so many people associate Jekyll and Hyde with David Hasselhoff 😑
They did a good job portraying this on Broadway. The idea of the internal struggle was very well conveyed. I was fortunate enough to see it before Robert ended his run with the show.
Cuccioli...he set the bar so high...simply the best! takes your breath away doesn't it :)
Can we talk about how awesome that Jekyll is the right and Hyde is the left of the body. It's genius from a symbolic standpoint as the left is often associated with evil or Satan .
Cuccioli is facing his right. Also, when was left associated with evil?
@@alexgrossi2209 I know I'm late, but anyway, it all comes back to the medieval times. Most people are right handed, so left handed people where seen as different, and in the middle ages, different=evil, so the left hand was called "The hand of the devil", and left handed people were burned at the stake! Is the same -lack of- logic with redheads, red hair is different, different=evil, burn at the stake!
@@alexgrossi2209 hey buddy, there's something called perspective
Cuccioli was facing his left
@@alexgrossi2209 Look up the word "sinister"...
@@alexgrossi2209 HYDE FACES HIS right...JEKYLL FACES HIS left... Done.
When Hyde sings, “for I live inside you forever” and the swell of the music and him stepping back to turn and become Jekyll...AMAZING!
His acting was probably the best this character has seen.
Agreed
He didn’t get the Tony nomination for nothing :)
pro tip: you can watch series on Flixzone. I've been using it for watching lots of of movies recently.
@Jalen Warren Yup, I have been using flixzone} for since december myself =)
@@Howlingburd19 I thought he won the Tony, but only nominated? This seems like a Tony award winning performance to me. I have seen lesser performances win the award.
WHOEVER TOOK THIS VIDEO THANK YOU I AM CRYING AND SCREAMING AT THE INTENSITY AND TALENT AND ALSO THE ESOTERIC MESSAGE
I watch Hasselhoff, then I watch Evans and then I watch this man... No disrespect intended to either the Hoff or Evans but they should button up their shirts and never touch this roll again after Robert Cuccioli's defining performance. Incredible.
The only version I like more is Anthony Warlow's but again he had the advantage of only having to sing it.
And again, no disrespect intended towards David or Robert Evans or anyone who likes those performances.
Agreed. I would've loved to hear Anthony sing this live. His studio recording is epic. This performance was easily the best live one I've seen though. Remarkable.
I agree with you. I don't know if it is because Warlow is so awesome, or because he was in a studio and didn't have to sing it on stage. At least the Anthony Warlow recording will always exist :D
+Morgan Mailhiot There are a few other versions I do think are better but are more obscure and need more praise. The Korean versions, Marti Pellow, and the Japanese version. They all manage to give me the same feeling as I did with the Warlow version.
Hasselhoff was more focused on acting if he had more vocal coaching or lessons it would be amazing
Every time I see this I am stunned by RC's performance- his voice, his acting, his every movement- he was perfection in this role of a split personality. I doubt there ever was or will be a portrayal that is better.
100% agree!! I saw him do this live in 1997!! Has stuck with me til this day.
2:40 his tone is so much clearer on this part than any other singer i've heard do this song. it's just beautiful!
2:40
Really good. This song makes me laugh every time, because I know if I preformed this show I would mess up terribly during this song. Id probably end up sing hyde with jekyll hair.
THAT is how it's done
I was fortunate enough to watch this live, and this musical is a masterpiece. I still listen to the soundtrack now and then, but nothing compares to seeing it live. His performance was outstanding. Almost 25 years ago, and I can still recall this song live.
I have never seen any other actor play these characters as well as Cuccioli.
This scene alone should have won the Tony, IMO - he was robbed !!
...I am glad I was able to see this show when it was on Broadway. I remember waiting a long time for it to actually happen. I hope it comes back again.
I was literally a baby when it came out. I'm so mad time travel doesn't exist, it's a crime really that this is the best quality I'll ever get to see this in
What an unbelievably talented man - why do we not see more of him?
Absolutely stunning, he completely nails it. Certainly one of the songs that can only be pulled off by the very best of actors
If you EVER can See Cuccioli do this it will Blow your Socks off! No one... I mean NO ONE can match his performance. It was the most impressive piece of acting that I've ever seen with my own eyes!
He is SO talented. Absolutely amazing to hear him rock it out in two completely different registers. Astonishing.
This is who I think about when I picture Jekyll and Hyde. This is genuinely fantastic. His dynamic range and stamina is amazing. That's why I've chosen this specific piece for my performing arts exam. It really is a gorgeous piece of theater
His Hyde actually scared me at the end....o.O It was really good!
2:26 gets me every time! It was done perfectly!
W....the..... This is ..... Perfect.....
I like when Hyde appears, and his hair goes over his face; it makes him look much more demonic. Very clever :)
It is so incredible how he can transform between characters right before our eyes. Such a powerful and amazing performance. I've only seen a community theater version, but the actor was also phenomenal. This seems like one of the most challenging roles to play! Brilliantly done
Yes Warlow is great but I hope you realize his version was an album only, not a live performance, he recorded both characters separately, not switching between back and fourth between them like in the performance seen in the video. Its much harder to change your voice back and fourth rapidly like that. If you compare his Hyde to Cuccioli's "pure" Hyde performances, Rob's Hyde is actually more of a difference from his Jekyll than Warlow's Hyde is from Warlow's Jekyll.
BaxionDumathros (this is a late reply) The only real difference between Warlow's Jekyll and Hyde is that Hyde is a bit deeper and it's less singing and more growling
I'd love to know what you think of my performance of the song ua-cam.com/video/MbySuW-Of8c/v-deo.html
This is still my favorite song from this show. Cuccoli is just absolutely phenomenal in this role. It just gives me chills every time I watch him (and by that, I mean the good kind).
This is fantastic. No one does this character like Robert Cuccioli. I wish there was video of him doing First Transformation.
so HOW did he not win the Tony?
Thank you so much ! I've long to see Robert Cucioli in this song and I though he is just the same as always, he is fantastic !
Ahh Cuccioli :) The perfect antidote to David Hasslehoff.
A- freaking- mazing!!!!!
Wow, can this guy perform, sing, take my breath away- name it!!!
He's the best I've seen in the role I think (from what is on YT)- just....wow....
thanks for posting!
Bless you for posting this. I accidentally ended up seeing part of Hasselhoff's version of this, so being able to watch this brilliant performance is exactly what I needed. So glad it's still here!
It's so dark and gritty. Awesome.
...Always goosebumps when I see this.
This gave me chills the good kind though
Thank you so much for posting this!!!!
Okay so when I listened to this song on the soundtrack, I honestly thought it was two actors singing this song...I'm actually shook it's ACTUALLY the same person
ua-cam.com/video/aXPxb3QJhc0/v-deo.html
How do you think I did in my depiction of the 2?
His ability to fluctuate between the two so very drastically different voices is just MINDBLOWING! How can one man have SO much talent? I love the line "I'll see you there, Jekyll" WOW!!
1:07 that transition omg i genuinely felt like something was taking over his body
i saw this play in ny when i was a teenager. i have to say this was the best thing that i saw. excuse my language but fucking beautiful there are no words for it. cheers to a fellow long islander!
Thank you!! Thank you! Thank you! I watched him perform this when it first came to America, in 1998. It was my senior trip and I was blown away! Such an amzing show an cast in such a teeny tiny theatre! He was amazing! Even thiugh I felt a bit ripped off, cuz all I had known was the more ummmm salacious British version. Now I have something to show people when they say Hoff was good. I can show them true talent.
I've been trying to figure out. What canonically happens during this song? At what points does Jekyll take which actions? I feel like there's a suicide attempt in here but I can't tell for sure, or where it is.
Stealthlock Utterson walks in on Hyde in Jekyll's lab, and confronts him. So Hyde transforms back and and Jekyll begs Utterson to take a letter to Lucy because he fears Hyde will kill her. Utterson leaves immediately and upon his exit Jekyll sings The Way Back at the end of the song he is shown to painfully transform back into Hyde. The next scene shows Utterson entering Lucy's home with Jekyll's note. Jekyll in his note, begs her to leave and gives her money. Utterson leaves when Lucy agrees to leave. However before she leaves, Lucy sings A New Life. Immediately after. A new life, Hyde appears in Lucy's home. He notices Jekyll begged her to leave and Hyde, not wanting Jekyll to win, kills Lucy while singing a reprise of Sympathy, Tenderness to her. Once she is dead, Hyde transforms back into Jekyll and looks in horror at what he has done. He then starts a reprise of Lost in the Darkness, but not without Hyde interrupting him and turning into Confrontation. The number is with Jekyll sort of talking to himself about his father and Hyde attempting to take total control. But Jekyll resists. And they go back and forth.
If I am correct, because in the novel, Jekyll committed suicide by gunshot, some adaptations of the show have shown Jekyll and Hyde fighting for a gun.
I don't think that's the case of confrontation though, as in the lost in the darkness bit at the beginning of the song, he still says that he will find the answer and never desert his father. So even with all he's done, he's still determined to his work. So the best answer I can give is a "no" I don't think there's a suicide attempt in this song.
(I can answer this as a male swing in a production of this show. I've had to study all of the plot very carefully)
Thanks so much for taking the time to write this. It's a great help for one of the biggest plot points! Do you know what happens right after Confrontation ends?
Stealthlock Now that I'm looking at the video more, if you're referring to Jekyll reaching his hands up as if he were to try to place a noose around his neck, that is not the case. Notice how he faces forward when singing lost in the darkness as he looks into the mirror. Then when Hyde comes in, Hyde is bunched over and looking to his lower right as if he's talking to someone. Then Jekyll looks to his upper left and reaches his hands up there quite a bit as if he's talking to somebody up there. I believe this is to symbolize the vision that he's talking to the Hyde in his mind as if Hyde is the devil on his shoulder. His left shoulder, the evil one. And Hyde is looking down at jekyll. It's hard to block with only one person but I think this is what Cuccoli is doing
Stealthlock three months pass and a final reprise of facade happens, where Utterson narrates a bit.
Then the scene shifts into the wedding ceremony of Jekyll and Emma. Jekyll, who has not been Hyde for 3 months begins to transform just before saying his vows. Stride confronts him and Hyde kills him. Danvers confronts him, and Hyde knocks him aside. Hyde then seizes Emma and Utterson draws the sword from his cane and demands Hyde let her go. Hyde threatens to kill Emma, so Utterson backs off. Emma begs Hyde to not hurt her because she still sees Henry in him. He transforms back into Jekyll as he begs Utterson to kill him and save them all. Utterson cannot bring himself to hurt his friend so Jekyll impales himself on Utterson's blade. Emma then holds Henry in her arms as he dies and the show ends.
Cool! Thanks so much! It's nice to understand the story better like this. I gotta find the full musical and watch it because it's so good!
@canegirl09 Unfortunately, I don't know what was going through the minds of everyone in the ATW during the Tony Awards voting time in early 1997, but I agree that he was robbed of his Tony. However, Robert didn't go home empty-handed for Jekyll & Hyde (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Joseph Jefferson Awards). Portraying multiple and complex characters battling within oneself with a passionate and heart-breaking singing voice (in a good way) beats out a charismatic lawyer on stage any year.
God... This is beautiful
it’s so great to see how different people interpret the transformations in this song. Some are more slow and painful but his are so immediate. very deliberate
Can you imagine...there is ONE person in the audience Hyde is just staring down throughout all of this, how does that guy NOT shit their pants?!
WOW he has an amazing Hyde! Really truely amazing, especialy the way he's saying "I'll see you there Jekyll!" in the end! It's fantastic! I do, however, miss a little acting.. He is not really creepy in his way of behaving Hyde, but his voice! Wow!
@DivaRhd Thank you! Nobody else seems to have realized that haha. LOVE both of them, just one acted in voice and the other acted in voice and appearance.
I think Robert performed best Hyde.
Stunning!
stunning.
While I applied Roberts performance, I think the last word "never" should've been said more like a scream of defiance, as opposed to just a song, Word. David Hasselhoff, in spite of the hilarity of his performance, pull this off, Jekyll is being tormented by his other half, so there has to be emotion behind that defiant last word.
@JokersGirl0711 When I met Robert Cuccioli at the stage door when he was in his second year on Broadway, I said the exact same thing to him. He was very gracious and humbly thanked me for the compliment.
That would be fantastic.
El mejor de todos los jekylls y Hydes! Actuación y voz impecables!
Cuccioli is definitely the best version in the whole musical’s run, and fun fact, he got a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical
@racharooenator Honestly I watched David Hasselhoffs version of it just yesterday and really didn't expect much - A little shocked, to be honest that I found myself deeply impressed! What presence! The acting was good, his face was alive with the different persons character.
Saw him live on broadway when this played and he was amazing. He was also amazing as chauvelin in Scarlet Pimpernel
AHH! So I love Robert Cuccioli because of this song. Hasselhoff did okay, but holy crap. Cuccioli is just amazing!!!
His “I’ll see you there, Jekyll” was CHILLING
@videk2010
I actually find it quite amazing how even tough he doesn't do much that there's still so many feelings and such passion in this scene. Sometime simplicity is the way to go :)
Simply great!!
The 'No's are just written in such a difficult way to act, at least in the traditional blocking. No matter who does it, it always looks, and sounds, a bit awkward. The only time I've heard it done smoothly is on my CD, but I believe that they used advanced sound mixing. But maybe not.
My main issue is that when he has to switch characters between a phrase, the illusion of them is broken because of the extreme difficulty of the phrase. In this song, it has to be perfect or the illusion breaks.
Robert Cuccioli should have won the Tony for this. It's a crime that he didn't get it... & no one else could ever play Jekyll/ Hyde the way he did.
Wow!
i like the hyde versions of him & andrew- they really have the toughness of hyde & purity of jekyll . it’s hard to distinguish switching back & forth & that breathing technique.
david hasselhoff & the others tried because demanding , but i felt more emotion with Him & the original.
Aweomse...He looks CRAZY at the end! Which I know he's supposed to...but it's still really scary all the same. :) Great performance.
I STILL can't believe that James Naughton took home the Tony for "Chicago" instead of Robert for "Jekyll and Hyde."
Goosebumps to the max
I remember the projection screen when it toured before Broadway. This is more challenging for the actor in my opinion.
Yes! In previews I heard it was done both ways to see what worked best. My friend went twice and saw it both ways. I went once and they did 'Confrontation" with the Hyde image being on a screen behind him and Jeckyll throwing something at it at the end of the song and it appearing to shatter and pieces falling to the ground. I believe that's how it was...it was a looooong time ago. I actually liked it that way as well. Never saw it live with this version unfortunately.
I can see why this song is so difficult to perform. it requires 3 things to excel in: physical, mental, and vocal prowess. Physical for the rapid switching, vocal for the rapid change of voices(including ranges oh dear lord!), and the mental capacity to switch between 2 characters convincingly in the blink of an eye. Trust me... I've been in theater and me practicing this, with the rapid switches, is almost ungodly difficult to make it a convincing struggle between 2 characters the whole time! And this is from somebody who has played trekkie monster, a puppet that requires 2 puppeteers, a grungy voice, and make emotions flow into that very puppet!
I totally agree! As far as I know, though, Warlow's wasn't live, so I feel that I can't compare them. Warlow's was incredible and he cleverly overlapped the voices to make them "interrupt" each other, but it takes more stamina to do it on stage, when you have to do both at once instead of recording them separately. This isn't a diss on Warlow, though, he's probably my favorite singer.
If he did do it live, though, and I missed it, please correct me (and send me the link!).
That's interesting and a bit of forshadowing! I'm not sure if you know, but he is now Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin in Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark and he is AMAZING in it!
Saw him live in Denver. It was AWESOME!!!
Daaaaaaamn! His "I'll see you there, Jekyll." line is so awesomely chilling! I love it love it love it~~~!! ^^
Oh, thank you so much for posting this! I love listening to Robert's version of the Confrontation on cd, but it was even better to see a video of it! I'm so subscribing now! *clicks subscribe button*
Umm...do you think you could post his Dangerous Game, please? I would really love to see that. :)
actual dream role
do you have dangerous game or lost in the darkness/ I need to know?
Ok this has always bothered me, its probobly a very simple answer but how does he go back and forth between the transformation, that is with his hair.
I was gonna attempted doing something similair to an effect for a Haunted house J&H but i could never get it down right whatever wig i used
Aye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the original Nutty Professor.
I love the way Cuccioli sings it, but I think Warlow puts more... "evil" into it.
@HydeCorner Oh please, I am begging you, share. I'm not what you'd call a fan of this show, but I can appreciate the potential it had before it started suffering from Too Many Cooks Syndrome, and I'd like to see how it evolved, or devolved, from the original staging.
@ihartrodatkins that just blew my mind lol i cant picture that but anythings possible go for it! theatre! :p
@HydeCorner Could you upload that?
Hasselhoff's transitions were cleaner and more distinct, but the voice that Cuccioli has is infintely beyond Hoff. Not to mention this performance is good throughout, not just when he's hyde, like Hoff's is
because Robert Cuccioli is probably is probably looking at the stage, not someone in the audience.
@pmoguyperson AWESOME!!
3:39-shivers........very wwell done!
I love Cuccioli. His voice is AMAZING, but what I love about his performance is that it seems SO real and none of it is under or over-acted.
Chills :O