EDFRINGE REVIEW: The Tale of the Original Jekyll and Hyde (Tall History Tales)

The Tale of the Original Jekyll and Hyde (Told by a Mad Hatter from Stockport) – ★★☆☆☆ – Confused

Tall History Tales
7-29 Aug
Review by Rebecca Mahar
 
“Welcome to the Bull’s Head Stockport, folks– not a place for the faint hearted, or for bulls, for that matter.” 

So opens The Tale of the Original Jekyll and Hyde (Told by a Mad Hatter from Stockport), introducing its narrator Stanley, the hapless “everyman” character of writer and performer Andy Dickinson, and the mad hatter in question. A one-time partner in crime to Edinburgh’s notorious Deacon Brodie, Stanley sets out to tell Brodie’s story, and how this real-life man of two lives inspired Robert Louis Stevenson’s dichotomous Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Promotional image for The Original Tale: Tall History Tales
 
The premise is intriguing, promising a new perspective on the life and crimes of Deacon Brodie and his posthumous connection to another of Edinburgh’s famous sons. Unfortunately, this connection is not followed through upon: after simply stating early on that Brodie was the inspiration for Jekyll and Hyde, the story becomes a recitation of Brodie’s history, with colourful commentary from Stanley on his own part in the adventures.

This recitation is disjointed and at times difficult to follow, both by the nature of its structure and by Dickinson’s delivery, which carries the same sing-song cadence throughout, with lines frequently spoken in fits and starts rather than maintaining a cohesive narrative. 
 
Andy Dickinson as Stanley. Pic: Supplied
 
There’s plenty of humour throughout, which lends itself well to the concept of Stanley relating this tale to a crowd in a pub. But this, too, contributes to the show’s identity crisis: is it a Stanley show, a Brodie show, or a Jekyll & Hyde show? The Tale of the Original Jekyll and Hyde feels as if it might be better served as a Brodie-themed walking tour of Edinburgh, with Stanley leading visitors around to his various featured spots and allowing them to locate themselves inside the story.
 
Either way, the production either needs a script reworking or a major rebranding (or both)— it does neither Brodie nor Jekyll & Hyde justice.
 
Running time: 55 minutes
Venue: Willow Studio, Greenside @ Riddles Court, 322 Lawnmarket EH1 2PG
7-29 August 2026 (not 16, 23)
Time: 2:00pm
Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-tale-of-the-original-jekyll-and-hyde-told-by-a-mad-hatter-from-stockport

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