Well, you guys asked for it! Confrontation Jekyll/Hyde - Robert Cuccioli Recorded on 11.15.97 (November 15th, 1997), at the Plymouth Theatre, NYC. 1997 Original Broadway Cast
The role of Dr. Jekyll/Edward Hyde in this musical has to be one of the most demanding theater performances in history right? Considering all the vocal and physical changes.
I'm now studying opera but back in high school I performed this show and it's ridiculously hard. 22 solos, most of the show is you, and incredibly physically and mentally taxing. I had a strong understanding of vocal technique for both characters and I still had to completely retrain my voice after it - it's hell but I don't regret a second, best show I've ever done and would love to do it again anyday.
Anyone else fascinated by how his performance is so good that his Hyde literally looks like a different person? Not just in posture, but in his face too. Masterful.
He was incredible, as was Chuck Wagner who played the part in the first national tour (I saw him play it in San Francisco. And unfortunately the only professional recording so far is David Hasselhoff in the lead. Who was…….a choice
I was fortunate enough to witness this live in NYC in 97. One of my first Broadway shows, and it always stuck with me. It’s incredible that a clip from a camcorder in the 90s rivals the majority of productions today.
I was there too- I was on break with my college for a journalism conference and I decided to catch the matinee of Jekyll....best show I've ever seen - hands down. He was perfection. And Linda Eder is a goddess. I'm seeing her live tomorrow night. She's been a favorite of mine since the late 80's.
@@Howlingburd19 I thought he won the Tony, but only nominated? This seems like a Tony award winning performance to me. I have seen lesser performances win the award.
I have witnessed 100+ Broadway shows. The performance of Mr Cuccioli in Confrontation astonished me like no other moment in Musical Theater. Chills still run down my spine when I recall that night in 1997
I wish I could have seen that live. I have seen numerous videos of others playing this character by Cucccioli seem to still be the best. I think he won the Tony for it and that may have been the shows only Tony award. It had several nominations though. Oops I guess I was wrong about him winning. He certainly deserved the Tony.
@@bobbywise2313 I was lucky enough to see Mr. Cuccioli live and it was absolutely INCREDIBLE! Anthony Warlow has him beat by a small margin though, imo. Something about his Hyde vocals just have such a growl-y, dark edge.
His transitions are so smooth. When I watch Hasselhoff perform this, you can see him begin to move before the end of the bar, whereas Cuccioli turns around right at the correct beat. Also, he does a good job differentiating his Jekyll and Hyde voices.
No offense to Hasselhoff, but Robert is significantly better tbh. The latter didn’t get the Tony nomination for nothing. He also does a better job physically differencing Jekyll and Hyde, with his hair going over his face and his stance
@@Howlingburd19 His transformation and "Alive" were also significantly better. And "This is the Moment" was also much better by Cucccioli. I mean Robert totally owned this character.
I watch Hasselhoff, then I watch Evans and then I watch this man... No disrespect intended to either the Hoff or Evans but they should button up their shirts and never touch this roll again after Robert Cuccioli's defining performance. Incredible. The only version I like more is Anthony Warlow's but again he had the advantage of only having to sing it.
Agreed. I would've loved to hear Anthony sing this live. His studio recording is epic. This performance was easily the best live one I've seen though. Remarkable.
I agree with you. I don't know if it is because Warlow is so awesome, or because he was in a studio and didn't have to sing it on stage. At least the Anthony Warlow recording will always exist :D
+Morgan Mailhiot There are a few other versions I do think are better but are more obscure and need more praise. The Korean versions, Marti Pellow, and the Japanese version. They all manage to give me the same feeling as I did with the Warlow version.
Seth Traughber I like this version more than Warlow’s because it’s more aggressive, and while Warlow show’s how desperate Jekyll is, he doesn’t show the aggressive and evil side of Hyde that is showcased in this version.
He did INTERPRET the song - not just sing it well. How many people have nice voices and can sing? Loads. But how many touch you and make you tremble with tension because their performance is so authentic and so gripping? I know only a few.
Can we talk about how awesome that Jekyll is the right and Hyde is the left of the body. It's genius from a symbolic standpoint as the left is often associated with evil or Satan .
@@alexgrossi2209 I know I'm late, but anyway, it all comes back to the medieval times. Most people are right handed, so left handed people where seen as different, and in the middle ages, different=evil, so the left hand was called "The hand of the devil", and left handed people were burned at the stake! Is the same -lack of- logic with redheads, red hair is different, different=evil, burn at the stake!
I saw both Robert and Hoff........Hoff doesn't hold a candle to Robert. This scene was absolutely THRILLING in person. It gave everyone chills watching the transformation. Amazing how RC could do this for 2 years 8 times a week. He was on stage 90% of the time.That's a rough,tough gig and he did it beautifully. I wish Broadway would bring the show back, but only w/Cuccioli in it. His looks, his voice fit the character the best. YOU ROCK, ROBERT!!
They did a good job portraying this on Broadway. The idea of the internal struggle was very well conveyed. I was fortunate enough to see it before Robert ended his run with the show.
Really good. This song makes me laugh every time, because I know if I preformed this show I would mess up terribly during this song. Id probably end up sing hyde with jekyll hair.
Every time I see this I am stunned by RC's performance- his voice, his acting, his every movement- he was perfection in this role of a split personality. I doubt there ever was or will be a portrayal that is better.
@canegirl09 Unfortunately, I don't know what was going through the minds of everyone in the ATW during the Tony Awards voting time in early 1997, but I agree that he was robbed of his Tony. However, Robert didn't go home empty-handed for Jekyll & Hyde (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Joseph Jefferson Awards). Portraying multiple and complex characters battling within oneself with a passionate and heart-breaking singing voice (in a good way) beats out a charismatic lawyer on stage any year.
Yes Warlow is great but I hope you realize his version was an album only, not a live performance, he recorded both characters separately, not switching between back and fourth between them like in the performance seen in the video. Its much harder to change your voice back and fourth rapidly like that. If you compare his Hyde to Cuccioli's "pure" Hyde performances, Rob's Hyde is actually more of a difference from his Jekyll than Warlow's Hyde is from Warlow's Jekyll.
BaxionDumathros (this is a late reply) The only real difference between Warlow's Jekyll and Hyde is that Hyde is a bit deeper and it's less singing and more growling
I've been trying to figure out. What canonically happens during this song? At what points does Jekyll take which actions? I feel like there's a suicide attempt in here but I can't tell for sure, or where it is.
Stealthlock Utterson walks in on Hyde in Jekyll's lab, and confronts him. So Hyde transforms back and and Jekyll begs Utterson to take a letter to Lucy because he fears Hyde will kill her. Utterson leaves immediately and upon his exit Jekyll sings The Way Back at the end of the song he is shown to painfully transform back into Hyde. The next scene shows Utterson entering Lucy's home with Jekyll's note. Jekyll in his note, begs her to leave and gives her money. Utterson leaves when Lucy agrees to leave. However before she leaves, Lucy sings A New Life. Immediately after. A new life, Hyde appears in Lucy's home. He notices Jekyll begged her to leave and Hyde, not wanting Jekyll to win, kills Lucy while singing a reprise of Sympathy, Tenderness to her. Once she is dead, Hyde transforms back into Jekyll and looks in horror at what he has done. He then starts a reprise of Lost in the Darkness, but not without Hyde interrupting him and turning into Confrontation. The number is with Jekyll sort of talking to himself about his father and Hyde attempting to take total control. But Jekyll resists. And they go back and forth. If I am correct, because in the novel, Jekyll committed suicide by gunshot, some adaptations of the show have shown Jekyll and Hyde fighting for a gun. I don't think that's the case of confrontation though, as in the lost in the darkness bit at the beginning of the song, he still says that he will find the answer and never desert his father. So even with all he's done, he's still determined to his work. So the best answer I can give is a "no" I don't think there's a suicide attempt in this song. (I can answer this as a male swing in a production of this show. I've had to study all of the plot very carefully)
Thanks so much for taking the time to write this. It's a great help for one of the biggest plot points! Do you know what happens right after Confrontation ends?
Stealthlock Now that I'm looking at the video more, if you're referring to Jekyll reaching his hands up as if he were to try to place a noose around his neck, that is not the case. Notice how he faces forward when singing lost in the darkness as he looks into the mirror. Then when Hyde comes in, Hyde is bunched over and looking to his lower right as if he's talking to someone. Then Jekyll looks to his upper left and reaches his hands up there quite a bit as if he's talking to somebody up there. I believe this is to symbolize the vision that he's talking to the Hyde in his mind as if Hyde is the devil on his shoulder. His left shoulder, the evil one. And Hyde is looking down at jekyll. It's hard to block with only one person but I think this is what Cuccoli is doing
Stealthlock three months pass and a final reprise of facade happens, where Utterson narrates a bit. Then the scene shifts into the wedding ceremony of Jekyll and Emma. Jekyll, who has not been Hyde for 3 months begins to transform just before saying his vows. Stride confronts him and Hyde kills him. Danvers confronts him, and Hyde knocks him aside. Hyde then seizes Emma and Utterson draws the sword from his cane and demands Hyde let her go. Hyde threatens to kill Emma, so Utterson backs off. Emma begs Hyde to not hurt her because she still sees Henry in him. He transforms back into Jekyll as he begs Utterson to kill him and save them all. Utterson cannot bring himself to hurt his friend so Jekyll impales himself on Utterson's blade. Emma then holds Henry in her arms as he dies and the show ends.
I finally watched this show after watching Love Never Dies and disliking the way the Phantom was reframed when he's meant to be an abusive murderer who is capable of seeming sincere and sweet. This show absolutely scratched the itch LND left me with. I agree 100% that this man would crush it in Phantom.
while I am more of a fan of Warlows rendition(just a difference in style); you have to give major props to Cuccioli since he performed this live on Broadway where Warlow's was a studio recording. Awesome song.
How are his characters so different, yet the change betwren them so smooth?? Also really like how the hair separates and man is this actor the best jekyll and hyde iv ever seen
I just realized something. Throughout the song Hyde is trying to convince Jekyll that they’re one and the same, right? So when Jekyll says, “rot in hell”, and Hyde replies, “i’ll see you there, Jekyll” he’s saying that Jekyll’s going to hell too. Cause they’re the same person
If you EVER can See Cuccioli do this it will Blow your Socks off! No one... I mean NO ONE can match his performance. It was the most impressive piece of acting that I've ever seen with my own eyes!
I was fortunate enough to watch this live, and this musical is a masterpiece. I still listen to the soundtrack now and then, but nothing compares to seeing it live. His performance was outstanding. Almost 25 years ago, and I can still recall this song live.
While I applied Roberts performance, I think the last word "never" should've been said more like a scream of defiance, as opposed to just a song, Word. David Hasselhoff, in spite of the hilarity of his performance, pull this off, Jekyll is being tormented by his other half, so there has to be emotion behind that defiant last word.
This is the definitive version of this song, not another has been able to touch it. I remember talking about this scene to others well after seeing this show. Just Fantastic!
I like to watch this through the mirror behind him because it looks like the science has only driven him to madness and his mad interior is the one pleading. And what many see as the 'good' of Jekyll is actually the evil side trying get rid of the mess of a man that science left behind. In a nutshell it flips the appearance and gives a different look to it.
The 'No's are just written in such a difficult way to act, at least in the traditional blocking. No matter who does it, it always looks, and sounds, a bit awkward. The only time I've heard it done smoothly is on my CD, but I believe that they used advanced sound mixing. But maybe not. My main issue is that when he has to switch characters between a phrase, the illusion of them is broken because of the extreme difficulty of the phrase. In this song, it has to be perfect or the illusion breaks.
Unpopular opinion: the flipping around to indicate the change from Jekyll to Hyde and back again is the most superfluous bit of directing that refused to die. Even at its best, I think it distracts from the struggle between two the characters in the same body - at worst, it's laughable. The same effect could be attained by having the actor struggle through the transformation, using the "beats" already laid out. That way the song relies on the chops of a physical actor rather than a blocking gimmick to let the audience see the struggle between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Yeah... I mean, good on the actor being able to switch between the two postures and voices like that on the right beat but it doesn't really capture the struggle as well as say, having two halves of his body work against each other and his face change expression with the change of character. Jekyll is trying to drink the potion that will end his transformation (he thinks) and Hyde is trying to stop him. So the right hand holds the potion to bring to their lips while the left tries to slap it or push it away. The left foot trips up the right foot trying to pull in a different direction, etc. As you say, they could have done more with this here.
This is who I think about when I picture Jekyll and Hyde. This is genuinely fantastic. His dynamic range and stamina is amazing. That's why I've chosen this specific piece for my performing arts exam. It really is a gorgeous piece of theater
This is just as good as the 16 yr old who performed this in our school. He ran backwards down the steps into the front row then turned and stared me straight in the eyes as he was now Jekyll. His singing was west end standard and he suited the role so well, I saw him afterwards as my brother was playing as the only trombone in orchestra and they had a party after the final show
oh my god...he is so..what.....excellent......i am so sad that i am lack of english to express his talent(?) whatever.. it was so impressive to me. awesome
...I am glad I was able to see this show when it was on Broadway. I remember waiting a long time for it to actually happen. I hope it comes back again.
I was literally a baby when it came out. I'm so mad time travel doesn't exist, it's a crime really that this is the best quality I'll ever get to see this in
Okay so when I listened to this song on the soundtrack, I honestly thought it was two actors singing this song...I'm actually shook it's ACTUALLY the same person
@jammes122 This scene, in Broadway production, is a bit static. I don't know national tour version, but it seems amazing. Till now, my favorite version is Chris Murray's Konfrontation from german production. Stage direction is very dark and "sick" and Murray's Hyde is absolutly the best!
Ok this has always bothered me, its probobly a very simple answer but how does he go back and forth between the transformation, that is with his hair. I was gonna attempted doing something similair to an effect for a Haunted house J&H but i could never get it down right whatever wig i used
@McCoy196 You misunderstand the whole concept of the story. First of all, he is not "a schizophrenic character." Hyde is not a different person from Jekyll. Hyde is the embodiment of man's evil, savage side which he tries to hide with the "facade" of civility and taste. Hyde is Jekyll when all control has been lost and all societal values abandoned. He is not overacting at all.
@racharooenator Honestly I watched David Hasselhoffs version of it just yesterday and really didn't expect much - A little shocked, to be honest that I found myself deeply impressed! What presence! The acting was good, his face was alive with the different persons character.
I had the great pleasure of performing with this man, my idol, in a Len Cariou benefit concert earlier this year. He is very kind and very humble even after all his experience. Truly a LEGEND. Letting you know I've watched this video like 70 times and have performed it at open mics/small gigs--it does not disappoint and it is HARD to pull off. Takes true theater geniuses. Cuccioli has all the respect I have for anyone. Hasselhoff has nothing on him.
Hasselhoff's transitions were cleaner and more distinct, but the voice that Cuccioli has is infintely beyond Hoff. Not to mention this performance is good throughout, not just when he's hyde, like Hoff's is
Ok technically, better than Hasselhoff. In terms of performance though, I prefer Hasselhoff. He genuinely seemed like he was fighting it more believably. He wasn't perfect, but he was brilliant. This "I'll see you there, Jekyll" is one of the most intensely chilling things I've ever heard though...
@AtLastOnTheGround I understand it completely, but the situation is really similar to it. That's why I said that instead. Well, that's your opinion. I've been involved in theatre for years, directed plays and such, so it's probably me being a harsh critic. And I personally think his acting is god-awful. His singing, however, is good, especially since he's clear and easy to understand. But that's about it. I listened to Warlow sing it and I think he's done the best singing it so far.
@AtLastOnTheGround Hasselhoff isn't the best, like I said, but my #1 biggest problem with Cuccioli is that he didn't pull off the dual personality as well as he could have. I admit, a schizophrenic character is really hard to pull off well. Cuccioli began overacting after 2:41 pretty badly. It made me laugh. Hasselhoff wasn't great, he was harder to understand, but he did the best at the dual personalities, as Jekyll and Hyde were literally night and day with him. I haven't seen Warlow though.
On the contrary i like this staging. It drives home the point of the show that within each of us lies our own personal Hyde. It IS us just our choices that decide who we are, Jekyll or Hyde. To put it in a projection seems to make it too much of an outside entity in my opinion, even IF it simulates him looking in a mirror. With this staging he is wrestling with his own decisions in the most personal way imaginable. Not downing you just my own personal opinion.
@ihartrodatkins if I may... I believe that's a great idea due to the fact that the message of this scene is that mankind( men and women) must face their inner most evils. P.S- have fun and good luck. peace
For me, Robert Cuccioli is the best Jekyll, Hyde.....better than Warlow or others...they're good but Cuccioli just seem to capture it best. It really pains me when I think that Hoff is even in this category.
the fact that Revenge of Death Adder is basically Golden Axe IV vs. Golden Axe fans who refuse to acknowledge the Mega Drive/Genesis trilogy as canon in a nutshell: 2:38
@JokersGirl0711 When I met Robert Cuccioli at the stage door when he was in his second year on Broadway, I said the exact same thing to him. He was very gracious and humbly thanked me for the compliment.
I know he originated the role, but I don't think his Confrontation is up to par as some of the others that followed in his footsteps. I saw Rob Evan and thought he was much better...
@inexplicable01 Thats rubbish, david Hasselhoff does a tremendous job of confrontation, making up for his lesser voice ability with fantastic expression and emotion.
@Aykerusey I agree. That was totally... spine-chilling, haha. Everyone else was kinda sneaky sounding about it, but his sounded totally evil (in a good way :P).
I have watched many versions of this and David Hasselhoff's is really the best. This one seems off tempo and like he keeps barely remembering the words. The Hoff owns it.
WOW he has an amazing Hyde! Really truely amazing, especialy the way he's saying "I'll see you there Jekyll!" in the end! It's fantastic! I do, however, miss a little acting.. He is not really creepy in his way of behaving Hyde, but his voice! Wow!
i like the hyde versions of him & andrew- they really have the toughness of hyde & purity of jekyll . it’s hard to distinguish switching back & forth & that breathing technique. david hasselhoff & the others tried because demanding , but i felt more emotion with Him & the original.
