A sexy, brute of a man

The Manchester Confidential recommends the Wuthering Heights Heartbreak Productions UK tour now that it arrives in Manchester (Cambs24 also publishes a reminder).

“Heathcliff, it’s me Cathy…” Ahem, sorry, any excuse to revisit Kate Bush’s debut hit. Of course it’s not just the kooky songstress that has been influenced by Emily Bronte’s classic novel. It continues to inspire a range of readers from fluttery A-level English students, the parents of recently demised Aussie film star Heath (his sister is called Cathy) to a slew of film adaptations. Aptly it’s performed at the Waterside on the night after Valentines Day so drag your mister or missus along for a tale of passion, death, (largely) unfulfilled love and a sexy, brute of a man. What more could you need?
Waterside Arts Centre 1 Waterside Place, Sale, M33. 0161 912 5616 Fri 15 Feb. (Trudie Robinson)

Another upcoming rendezvous, albeit in Chicago, is Dance COLective's dance piece Written on the Body inspired by the life and work of the Brontës. The Windy City Times publishes this reminder:

The Dance Center of Columbia College, 1306 S. Michigan, hosts modern ensemble The Dance COLEctive Feb. 21-23. Led by Artistic Director Margi Cole, the group presents “Second Journeys,” an evening featuring Cole's Written on the Body, a dance that explores duality by bringing to life literary icons the Bronte Sisters. Also on the program is choreography by Colleen Halloran, Jennifer Kayle and Ellie Klopp. 312-344-6600; $24-$28. (Eric Eartherly)

The Lancaster Guardian has a list of indoor attractions in Lancaster, UK. Among them we found the Church of St John the Baptist in Tunstall:

Built around 1415, the church impresses with its size, but is probably better known for its upper room in the south porch. Here, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, and their sisters Maria and Elizabeth, would climb up to eat their "packed lunch" between services. From 1824 they lived for a year at a cottage in nearby Nether Burrow as pupils of the Clergy Daughters' School. Brocklebridge Church in Charlotte's novel, "Jane Eyre", was based on Tunstall Church.

Via On LiveAuctionTalk we have discovered that the Roycroft Inn in East Aurora, NY a has a curious Brontë related detail:

The Roycroft community located on the campus here was a focal point for people interested in the Arts and Crafts movement. Opened in 1905, the inn lodged thousands of visitors from around the world.
The floor plan and furniture in the inn are original or authentic reproductions. This is how it looked 100-years-ago complete with wicker furniture, Roycroft lamps and William Morris wallpaper. Carved into the bedroom doors lining the halls are the names of famous people. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Charlotte Bronte, Henry David Thoreau, and Susan B. Anthony are among them. (Rosemary McKittrick)

At least this journalist is not claiming that Charlotte Brontë sat cosily by the fire there! Well, at least we've finally solved what the actual Brontë connection was.

The Sydney Morning Herald reviews Pride & Prejudice 2005, now on Australian TV, and once again reminds us that Joe Wright's approach was more Brontë than Austen:

Wright's inclination for atmosphere is more Bronte than Austen, although he also has a feel for intimacy - particularly between sisters Elizabeth (Knightley) and Jane Bennet (Rosamund Pike) - that's welcome. (Craig Mathieson)

Valentine's day of course provokes some Brontë references around:

Anyone who has ever wrestled with an undeniable craving for literary romance knows that subtle passion is far more powerful and evocative than exaggerated sentimentality. How can those bodice-ripping page-turners with steroid-injecting heroes and two-dimensional heroines possibly stand up against the witty banter of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, the quasi-incestuous obsession of Catherine and Heathcliff, or the thwarted longing of Pip and Estella. (Truc Doan in The Harvard Independent)

They are our kings and queens of hearts, our icons of romantic love: Heathcliff and Catherine, Rhett and Scarlett, Romeo and Juliet. (Loni Ingraham in Towson Times)

These five strange gentleman have fascinated females for generations. Some of them are Byronic, others flat out demonic, but all have an unexplainable appeal and the capacity for deep devotion - which unfortunately sometimes manifests as dangerous obsession (i.e. kidnapping, murder, blood drinking). Fellas, take heart: you don't need to be handsome to be on this list, or rich, or even necessarily alive. But you absolutely cannot be blond. (...)
2. Heathcliff "Wuthering Heights"
"He's not a rough diamond-a pearl-containing oyster of a rustic: he's a fierce, pitiless, wolfish man."
Heathcliff is a foundling who grew up to destroy almost everyone around him with his thwarted passion for his foster sister, Catherine Earnshaw. He is volatile, abusive, vindictive, and sorta insane. But hey, at least he's loyal. You will know him by his intimidating size, the crazy look in his eyes and his conspicuous lack of a last name.
3. Mr. Rochester "Jane Eyre"
"...you cannot be always sure whether he is in jest or earnest, whether he is pleased or contrary ..."
Mr. Rochester is the mercurial master of the mysterious Thornfield Hall, who falls for the humble governess, Jane Eyre. What sets Mr. Rochester apart from other romantic heroes is that he is talkative, friendly - even funny sometimes. I don't want to ruin anything for you but let's just say the skeletons in his closet are big enough to earn this good-hearted fellow a place on the dark side. You will know him by his self-depreciating humor and his missing hand. (Audrey Brockhaus in The Hub)

On the blogosphere today: Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod offers a podcast with a radio adaptation of Wuthering Heights (The Ford Theatre, aired January 4, 1949). Lights, Camera... History! posts Jane Eyre 2006. Novel Destinations briefly comments on the new exhibition at the Brontë Parsonage Museum: No Coward Soul. Maylinn, Great Books that I liked, Diario de Hogare (in Spanish), The Pink Room (in Swedish) and Il Pendolo (in Italian) talk about Jane Eyre. A brief biography of Charlotte Brontë appears on Newsdotcom (in Indonesian). Girl Detective reviews the Dame Darcy illustrated version of Jane Eyre. A life in the Day posts about Wide Sargasso Sea. Dirty Dude Reviews talks about Wuthering Heights 2003 (the MTV version):

I think it's a worthy endeavor to create modern updates for classic stories but my sweet baby not like this. Not like this at all. (Craig)

So right.

And finally, the Miami New Times has this bizarre Jane Eyre mention in a quite bizarre story:

In the past, police and prosecutors haven't charged many people with the crime — it's usually reserved for prostitutes or guys with HIV who spit on cops arresting them — but lately there's been a flurry of cases in South Florida. All of them involve an HIV-positive guy and an HIV-negative woman. Not exactly Jane Eyre. (Tamara Lush)

Categories: Brontëana, Dance, Jane Eyre, Movies-DVD-TV, Theatre, Wide Sargasso Sea, Wuthering Heights