EXQUISITE RETELLING OF A CLASSIC THROUGH A WHOLE NEW MEDIUM

By Trisha Cusack ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

The moors come to London in this divine ballet adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, ‘Jane Eyre’.

Jane Eyre, for those unfamiliar with the book (I highly recommend reading it), is a coming of age story that follows the eponymous Jane. The ballet opens with Jane recounting her early days to the Rivers family after having run away from her wedding to Mr Rochester. Act one beautifully captures her formative chapters with young Jane being played by a talented Aerys Merrill. From the abuse suffered at the hands of her relatives to the hardships faced at Lowood, including the heartbreaking death of the her friend, this rendition is mostly faithful to the novel. It is however the show’s choreography and storytelling that captivates the audience from the beginning, with Merrill’s expressive dancing setting the bar for what’s to come.

As Jane becomes a young woman, Saeka Shirai takes over, beginning with the most important chapter of Jane’s life, her time at Thornfield. Here we meet the delightful Mrs Fairfax and Adele whose characters bring a light-heartedness to the show through the amusing characterisation of their walks and demeanour. The story of ‘Jane Eyre’ is not complete, of course, without the brooding, Byronic hero, Mr Rochester. The exquisite and tense pas-a-deux between him and Jane which closes the first act wonderfully captures the growing, if conflicted feelings for one another.

It is in act two however, where is real passion and emotion of the story shines. Jane’s jealousy over the beautiful Blanche Ingram, the introduction of Bertha – strikingly played by Gemma Coutts – and the shocking revelations at Jane and Rochester’s wedding, all result in breathtaking dance sequences that hold the audience enthralled.

Further dramatic and tense scenes follow, such as that of Jane and St John Rivers arguing over a rejected proposal. The showdown between Mr Rochester and Bertha culminating in the burning down of Thornfield is another that keeps guests thoroughly engrossed in the performance. Fear not though, for romance is not dead as Jane and Mr Rochester finally reunite with a heartfelt pas-a-deux that beautifully expresses the love between the couple.

To take a novel known for its stunning dialogue and instead tell it solely through the medium of dance is no mean feat. I will not pretend to know the technicalities of ballet, having never been to a ballet show before. In fact, I will admit that at points, particularly during some ensemble pieces, I was left slightly struggling to interpret.

However, there is no doubt that choreographer Cathy Marston has done a stellar job with this interpretation. Emotion is at the heart of this story and in this production it comes in spades. The combination of a more dynamic ballet style with the live orchestra, led by Philip Feeney, and the undeniably talent cast, who portray each character faithfully results in a magnificent production.

Overall, this is a highly impressive show that is well worth seeing, even if you haven’t read the original novel (although it does help). If you don’t manage to catch it in Sadler’s Well in London before it finishes on May 17th, Northern Ballet will be performing at Norwich Royal Theatre from 20-24 May.

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Photo Credit: Tristram Kenton