REHEARSALS are taking shape for York company Theatre Mill’s first production of 2015, Nick Lane’s revamped version of his stage adaptation of The Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde.

Set in the heart of Victorian London, Robert Louis Stevenson’s turbulent gothic tale will be presented in a hidden undercroft at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, in Fossgate, from February 26 to March 22, when Dr Jekyll will seek to change not only the face of science but the world in the belief that one must risk madness to achieve genius. However, in seeking to discover his inner self, the brilliant scientist instead discovers a monster.

“It’s a new adaptation of a piece Nick first did for Hull Truck Theatre,” says producer Rebecca Stafford. “Nick has a reputation for being a prolific writer, doing wonderful adaptations as well as original plays, so I asked him to send us a selection of his work, and I knew that the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall would be a wonderful gothic setting, full of atmosphere and tension for Jekyll and Hyde.”

Nick set to work on revising his play for Theatre Mill. “The main difference is that he’s re-written it as a four-hander rather than for a cast of three,” says Rebecca. “At Hull Truck it was very much a storytelling piece but we wanted to show that story rather than just tell it. As with our past shows, our audiences will be in close proximity, with the play being set in Dr Jekyll’s laboratory, designed by Becs Andrews, who has worked for Opera North and DV8 and done a lot of work in Sweden too.”

Tickets for February and March’s 7.30pm evening performances and 2.30pm Saturday and Sunday matinees are on sale at £20 to £25 on 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk