Bloom, a stunning Jane Eyre

Claire Bloom's reading of Jane Eyre in Ogden last week is reviewed in an article published in Deseret Morning News. It seems it was an impressive performance, the reviewer, Ivan M. Lincoln, titles the article: Bloom stunning as she brings Jane Eyre to life.

A great story from a great storyteller. That's what an attentive audience got Saturday night in Ogden when esteemed British actress Claire Bloom presented an abridged version of Charlotte Bronte's classic romantic tale "Jane Eyre." (...)

During a brief preface, Bloom said "Jane Eyre" was first published anonymously in 1847 and quickly became the "supermarket romance" of the day, embraced by readers who were enthralled by the tale's dramatic twists and turns.

Quickly turning through pages on a music stand in a simple setting that included a beautiful carpet, a small table and a large, ornate floral arrangement, Bloom took the rapt audience on a mesmerizing journey into the life and times of Bronte's courageous heroine — from a lonely orphan at Lowood School to being governess for a 10-year-old girl at Thornfield Manor, the vast estate of wealthy, but moody, Edward Rochester. (...)

Bloom imbued each character with realistic personality as she related the story of Jane discovering the dark secret that foils her wedding day, her newfound independence at a girls' school, and reconnecting with Rochester after a disastrous fire at Thornfield Manor. The actress, who took only a brief break between the program's two segments, brought the beloved characters to life, letting the fairly sparse audience conjure up images in their own minds.

Picture by Brian Nicholson.

Categories: Theatre, Jane_Eyre, Charlotte_Brontë