THEATRE REVIEW: Jane Eyre - The New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-U-Lyme.

 

Written in 1847, Charlotte Brontë’s novel ‘Jane Eyre’ is a timeless and much-loved classic of English literature which has been adapted for radio, film and theatre as well as spawning a number of spin-offs, of which some have been more successful than others. The latest adaptation of the novel is Chris Bush’s version telling the story in words and music, which premiered at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough in April, directed there as here by Zoë Waterman.

The story begins with ten year-old Jane (Eleanor Sutton), orphaned and left in the care of her cruel aunt Mrs. Reed (Sarah Groarke) who despises her, keeping her in the Red Room where her uncle had died and where she is visited by his ghost. Mrs. Reed packs Jane off to school as soon as the opportunity arises – the “school” in this case being Lowood, a charitable institution for the education of orphans. For “education” read “indoctrination” into a particularly harsh version of Christianity under the tutelage of the fearsome Mr. Brocklehurst (Tomi Ogbaro). Thankfully she finds two friends there, sweet fellow orphan Helen (Nia Gandhi) and kindly schoolmistress Miss Temple (Zoe West), survives the experience and ultimately becomes a teacher herself.

After teaching for a while at Lowood, Jane accepts the post of governess to eccentric Adele (Gandhi), the ward of one Mr. Rochester, at Thornfield Hall. Whilst Jane and the overbearing Rochester (Sam Jenkins-Shaw) don’t initially hit it off, Jane soon falls in love with him. Her love is unrequited at first – after all Rochester is betrothed to another – but following a near-disastrous fire his feelings for her change and marriage awaits the couple… or does it? The path of true love never did run smooth and if you want to find out where it leads these two, buy a ticket!

Jenkins-Shaw as Rochester, a character far more complex than seems to be the case when we first meet him, is the stand-out performance for me. From arrogant, entitled Lord of the Manor at the start of his character arc via passionate lover and then villain of the piece to a figure of genuine pathos Jenkins-Shaw is entirely convincing throughout. He has quite a stage presence and in one song (‘Kiss Me In The Dark’) he reminded me very much of Jon Boden of Bellowhead fame.

Jane would undoubtedly have been considered a shocking and rebellious figure when Charlotte Brontë wrote the novel 175 years ago, but for all her feistiness she never loses sight of her strict moral compass or her understanding of her own self-worth. She is magnanimous and generous when things come good for her and Sutton’s portrayal of the character encompasses all these traits beautifully. In some ways she can be seen as a precursor to the Suffragettes and the Women’s Rights movement – struggles which are still very much a live issue today.

Also still relevant after all this time is the way powerful religious figures, represented here by both Mrs. Reed and Mr. Brocklehurst, abuse this power to “keep the little people in their place” with threats of eternal damnation for non-compliance. Think of U.S. televangelists milking their followers of every last cent to pay for their armoured SUVs and private jets, or of the radicalisation of children taking place in certain madrassas.

This is a lively and fast-paced production in which the cast have to transition seamlessly between parts (six actors play thirty-one characters in total) and they achieved this faultlessly. The songs, set to music by Simon Slater in mid-19th century style, add an extra dimension to the experience and give the cast the opportunity to showcase their musicianship as well as their acting skills. The whole thing is witty and delightful, and highly recommended.

Reviewer - Ian Simpson
on - 10.5.222