Charlotte Brontë, you are nominated

This is Bradford reports another Radical Brontës event that is taking place these days. Ken Russell, the legendary and controversial film director, is directing a dance piece, so improvised that it doesn't appears in the programme!, that places Charlotte Brontë in the Big Brother's House :P.

The ballet, which was on today in four performances between noon and 3pm outside the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, forms part of this week's Radical Brontes festival taking a contemporary look at the work of the literary family.

"I started as a dancer - I danced in the chorus of Annie Get Your Gun at the Bradford Alhambra in 1950," said Mr Russell, 78. "This production marks my triumphant return to Bradford!

"I came to Bradford in July for the Delius festival and I met Joolz Denby who told me about her Bronte Burlesque, which I'm going to film. I had a look around the Haworth Parsonage and decided to do something for the festival."

The production, called Charlotte Bronte Enters The Big Brother House, merges Charlotte with Jane Eyre.

Mr Russell said: "Charlotte first presented Jane Eyre as an autobiography, they were both governesses and had strong personalities. Because of her personality, there's a sense of Charlotte still being among us so I decided to put her in the Big Brother house.

"When she's called to the dreaded diary room she's in limbo and there's a dream-like evocation of her as half Charlotte and half Jane. She imagines her dead sisters are with her and she falls for Rochester - but their wedding is interrupted by his mad wife."

Mr Russell admitted to being a Big Brother fan. "Against my better judgement though!" he laughed. "You get the nastiest bunch of people in there but it's compulsive viewing.

"Big Brother is contemporary and that's what the Radical Brontes is about. Anything that keeps the Bronte flame going has to be welcomed.

"I suppose the reason we're still fascinated by the Brontes is that they were a curious bunch and remain an enigma. Nobody knows what they were really like.

"And of course Jane Eyre is such a good story, much better than Wuthering Heights. I never saw the appeal of Heathcliff, he has no redeeming features, but you can see why Jane falls for Rochester."

The ballet stars Mr Russell's wife, Elize, as Charlotte/Jane. She and Mr Russell went to Bradford's Bombay Stores this week to buy material for the ballet. (Emma Clayton)

Categories: Dance, Charlotte_Brontë,Jane_Eyre