Jekyll and Hyde, again and again
Today I think I came the closest to seeing Jekyll and Hyde done as I want it to be done. I’ve always been attracted to the story, and aside from the novel (which I always felt held only the kernel of the story, a story Stevenson wasn’t willing or able to pursue) I’ve seen the versions with Spencer Tracey, Mary Reilly (horrible film and novel-I’m
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Anyway. One thing that was interesting about this was I was so happy with it, because it did do the things I wanted from the story. It pushed buttons Jekyll came close to pushing for me but didn't push in the end. But now I sort of feel like those buttons got turned on but then I was all revved up with nowhere to go. I think this is largely due to length (though a big part of it was also the lack of development of the Elizabeth/Hyde. But also the Elizabeth/Jeckyll, for that matter). It was sort of an idea dump, in some ways: "Uh, guys, here are these concepts that totally should've been addressed in other J&H stories. Play with them! Kthxbi!"
So I think I really *would* like to write fanfic. But now I'm wondering if I should write fanfic of that play, or try to do something of my own using Stevenson. For one thing not everyone has seen the play, and there are lots of people who might like to read it. But mostly what I'd do if I started with Stevenson is do something like the play but flesh it out more, which feels sort of . . . wrong, since the play already IS a rewrite and it does a good job and there are many things I respect about it. I assume j/h is in the public domain, since there're so many incarnations . . . how incredibly wrong would it be to write something and try to publish it, if it was inspired by this play? Would it be alright if it was different enough? And how different do I want it to be? Not very. But there are things I want to explore!
AND I WANT TO WORK ON CHRISTY, DAMMIT. It's so beautiful. Christy I mean. Writing the doctor is so cracktastic. He's so patronizing and sexist. For the past week or so I've been rewriting one of their big meetings in the book from his POV, and it's mostly just this long conversation. I'm trying not to steal too much of the dialogue without it seeming too awkward, using brief explanations of what they say instead of them saying it, but putting dialogue instead where in fact there are only brief explanations of what is said. But whenever I get to a part where there has to be dialogue from the book, I think: "this just doesn't go with what I've written so far. I have to go back to earlier bits and make him even more patronizing and sexist." OMG I love him. I want you to watch it with me except I fear you will not share my love and then where will I be? This fandom is so frustrating! Because there are such die hard fans but they don't seem to talk about what I want to talk about! (They don't even talk about faith. Which seems weird). My fanfic has "damn" and "hell" and "deuce take it" in it which probably means people won't even read it. If I go on as long as I really want to, there will be porn. The first porn I ever wrote, I wrote for Christy. I used to be talking about Jekyll and Hyde. What happened????
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Is this our new motto?
Hopefully I will come back and be able to articulate what I mean by this? Right now I feel my meaning won't come across.
Well, we could discuss in person later.
I agree that it pushed buttons without really going anywhere, or far enough anyway, which is why I sort of felt euphoric at those things being addressed at all but not "omg this is the best play/J&H ever!" One thing the Tracey film/J&H musical do is put the Elizabeth-y character, Lucy, in contact with both of them. Jekyll, depressed over his failure in front of the board of directors, pops in for a drink. Lucy, a dancehall girl, meets and is intrigued by this polite doctor guy, who gives her his card though he declines her favors. Hyde, of course, takes her up on the latter, and then she goes to see Jekyll when Hyde hurts her. Cheap, maybe, but nice.
Oh also I think that if we'd liked Mrs. Jackman at all you'd feel a little better about Jekyll.
But mostly what I'd do if I started with Stevenson is do something like the play but flesh it out more, which feels sort of . . . wrong, since the play already IS a rewrite and it does a good job and there are many things I respect about it.
Hmm. It's an interesting question, but as far as legality goes I don't think there's a problem if it's inspired by the play. I think that play was probably inspired by the other versions that came before, the ones with Ivy/Lucy, for example. Maybe he saw Jekyll. Who knows? Susan Kay surely saw ALW, and cites that as her inspiration, despite not really following the show for her plot. The elements of Dr. Jekyll... are pretty standard, so it's hard to say "that's mine" just because you, say, add a woman or USE A CONTINUUM INSTEAD OF A BINARY.
I would sooooo read your Jekyll and Hyde story.
Well even if I don't love Christy can't we talk about it? I can still share it with you. Do you require that I love it? or that I respect your love for it and am able to converse and mirror back to you?
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