Chemical Imbalance opens on the tranquil home of Doctor Henry Jekyll, his sweet mother, and attentive sister. Sister’s trying to get Henry engaged, but he’s too busy working in his laboratory and chilling with their cousin. They’re having guests to tea, including the insanely proper Mrs. Throckmortonshire and her twin daughters: Penelope and Calliope. Penelope could put Medusa to shame, and Calliope, gracious and kind (but people keep confusing them). The servants are alarmed to relate that an elusive madman is roaming the streets, looking for trouble and terrorizing the neighborhood.
Jekyll longs to be free of the restraints that conscience, society, and a sense of decency have imposed on him. He longs to breathe the putrid air of unfettered anger, poor impulse control and free-range, indiscriminate coupling. Apparently, he cannot simply choose to brawl, molest and be mean to puppies. He’s concocted a potion to facilitate this seachange. But it lacks that certain oomph. That rugged kick in the tuchas he needs to transform him into the beast that nature intended.
Based on this sketchy premise (courtesy of Robert Louis Stevenson) whiz-bang playwright Lauren Wilson has scripted a splendidly facetious comedy of the highest order. She turns horror film cliche on its head, spoofing melodrama, ridiculing Victorian pretentiousness and propriety. Chemical Imbalance is composed of such chaotic, mind-boggling absurdity, that we gladly surrender to helpless laughter. Wilson has turned the once debonair, charismatic (though diabolical) Mr. Hyde into a drooling, giggling lunatic, and it’s a stroke of brilliance. By adding a secret ingredient to the potion, bedlam overtakes the once civilized, poised Jekyll household. Chemical Imbalance is loopy genius, the gag synapses move so quickly, we can barely keep up, and the actors: remarkable, intuitive and smart.
Rover Dramawerks presents Chemical Imbalance playing October 10th – 27th, 2019. 221 West Parker Road, Suite 580, Plano, Texas 75023. 972-849-0358. roverdramawerks.thundertix.com