Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
For BBC Four’s The Read, Reese Shearsmith gives a haunting reading of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Client: Rural Studios / BBC Arts
Sector: Narrative (64 Mins)
Services: Sound Design & Mix
SYNOPSIS
Considered one of the finest works of British gothic literature, Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella explores the duality of human nature.
In the story, Dr Jekyll’s experiments with potions grant him the power to turn into Mr Hyde, a dark, malevolant version of himself. Dr Jekyll gradually loses control of his creation, with tragic consequences.
Shearsmith’s performance descends from a convivial mode to a haunted version of himself, mirroring the path we are taken through the story.
SOUND DESIGN
The production design, live action cutaways and colour grade all mirror the transformation of Jekyll into Hyde, which we supported through the sound design.
The cutaways were beautifully rendered in black and white, providing an opportunity to vividly evoke the gritty Victorian cityscape.
The visceral, bone-cracking transformations from Jekyll into Hyde were also lots of fun to sound design.
CREDITS
Starring - Reese Shearsmith
Director - Kieran Stringfellow
Series Producer - Julie Colman
Producer - Natasha Williams
Production Company - Rural Media
Director of Photography - Luke Collins
Location Sound - Jake McKenzie-Hayes
Production Design - Prop-It Creative
Editor - Dave Jones
Colourist - Vic Parker
Stills Photography - Dan Ollerhead
Score - Simon Passmore
Sound Design & Mix - Brian Lane
BROADCAST
Originally broadcast on BBC Four at 9pm, Sunday 2nd February 2025
Now available on BBC iPlayer.