Mums, gather round. You know the story, sweet Dr Jekyll, nasty Mr Hyde, same bloke, terrible skincare routine. We’ve all seen the adaptations, the Hollywood films, the Halloween costumes. The big twist? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt (probably covered in green face paint after last year’s school play).
So when we heard Shadow Road Productions was putting on yet another Jekyll & Hyde, we’ll admit, we raised an eyebrow. What more is there to say?
Turns out? Quite a lot, actually.
Jekyll & Hyde: Remember Me is a brand-new adaptation landing at the Shadow Road Studio in Barnes from 24 October to 8 November 2026, and it’s asking a question we’d never really considered: forget the monster, who was Henry Jekyll?
Because here’s the thing. We all know what Jekyll did. We know what he unleashed. We know how the story ends. But what about the man himself, the brilliant, charismatic, slightly-too-convinced-of-his-own-genius scientist who thought he could split good from evil like a particularly ambitious Marie Kondo? What happened to him? And how do the people who actually knew him remember it all?
Cue writer and director Emma King-Farlow, who had a proper lightbulb moment while working on this adaptation:
“Everybody coming to Jekyll & Hyde in 2026 already knows the big secret. I realised very quickly that there was little point in asking an audience to pretend otherwise. That led me to a much more interesting question: if everybody remembers the monster, Hyde, what happened to the man, Jekyll? Who remembered him and how?”
Honestly, we love a woman who asks the big questions.
So what’s the vibe?
This isn’t your standard West End spectacular. Shadow Road Productions specialise in intimate, imaginative theatre, the kind where four actors play everyone, live music and sound effects do the heavy lifting, and your imagination fills in the rest. Think Victorian London conjured up in a tiny Barnes studio with nothing but talent, atmosphere, and a healthy dose of theatrical magic.
And when we say intimate? We mean it. There are only 19 seats per performance. Nineteen! You’ll be sitting literally feet from the action as Jekyll’s experiment spirals deliciously out of control around you. (Content note: there’s staged violence and psychological intensity, so maybe leave the little ones at home for this one, think of it as a very cultured date night.)
The cast features Amy Floyd, Amy King, Emma King-Farlow and Belle Quinlan, all bringing Stevenson’s classic tale to life through a prism of memory and shifting perspectives. It’s all about ambition, responsibility, trust, and what’s left of a complicated human being once the world has made up its mind about them.
The bigger picture
This production is part of Shadow Road’s Fireside Folktales repertoire, classic stories reimagined for small, unusual spaces. The company believes powerful theatre doesn’t need a fancy stage or a massive budget; it needs character, language, and an audience willing to go on the journey. They’ve performed everywhere from theatres and historic houses to churches, hospitals, care homes, and gardens, taking work directly to people who might not otherwise get to experience live theatre.
And after Jekyll & Hyde wraps up, they’re taking their much-loved four-actor A Christmas Carol on an Arts Council-funded tour of hospitals, cancer centres, and care homes in December and January. Lovely stuff.
The reviews are in (Well, for their other shows)
Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what audiences have said about Shadow Road’s previous productions:
“A sparkling gem of a show with a really innovative take on the physical and mental damage that flows from misplaced political ambition.” – Fringe Review on Macbeth: Sleep No More
“I don’t think I’ve seen that so clearly before. We have bought tickets to see it again!” – Audience member on Macbeth: Sleep No More
“I have seen A Christmas Carol so many times, but never been so moved before… I don’t know how they manage to create such a gripping effect with only four people!” – Audience member on A Christmas Carol
The details
What: Jekyll & Hyde: Remember Me
Who: Shadow Road Productions
Where: Shadow Road Studio, 1 Bracken Gardens, Barnes, London SW13 9HW
When: Saturday 24 October – Sunday 8 November 2026 (various times)
How long: About 60 minutes (perfect for those of us who need to be home by a reasonable hour)
Tickets: www.ticketsource.com/shadowroad/e-rpzbra
More info: www.shadowroad.com
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
