Engaging Brontës

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix reviews the University of Saskatchewan production of Brontë.

Charlotte and Emily regularly butt heads, with the former assuming the burden of keeping her family together and Emily refusing to accept both society’s and her sister’s rules. The tension between the two very different sisters is well-executed in strong performances by Eberle and Polischuk.
Jordie Richardson steps in as several characters, the most important of which is Bronte patriarch Patrick. He succeeds both in his dialect work and in convincingly assuming the maturity needed for the role.
Teale’s play looks inside the minds of the authors by featuring scenes from their books. Megan Zong and Yulissa Campos bring Wuthering Heights’ Cathy and Jane Eyre’s Bertha to vibrant life. It’s an effective technique that gives viewers insight into what the characters represent in their creators.
Director Natasha Martina, who is known for her use of movement, creates little moments, rather like paintings, in a play that doesn’t require over-the-top action. This beautiful subtlety feels appropriate given the Victorian setting, rewarding a viewer intent on taking in the details.
The play’s first act is engaging and economical, but the second act (which defies theatre tradition by being longer than the first) is over-padded. The exploration of Charlotte’s final months is out of place tone-wise and diminishes the impact of an earlier scene where Eberle’s performance is at its best. (Stephanie McKay)

BookPage has selected the '10 best mysteries and thrillers of 2016' and among them is

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
“Readers worried that Jane Steele is simply a retread of Jane Eyre with more blood and gore, à la Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, fear not. Just when you think you know what is coming next, Jane Steele takes things in a completely different direction.” (Cat)

Another selection as The Week recommends what to to watch on TV over Christmas in the UK.

The Brontë Sisters: To Walk Invisible
Sally Wainright's To Walk Invisible reveals the extraordinary story behind the three remarkable Brontë sisters who drew on their traumatic family life experiences to produce some of the greatest English language novels. Stars Jonathan Pryce as the Brontë father, Adam Nagaitis as the troubled brother Branwell and Charlie Murphy, Chloe Pirrie and Finn Atkins as sisters Anne, Emily and Charlotte.

Do check out the recently-released media pack. And do write it in your diary: December 29th (the anniversary of Patrick and Maria's wedding in 1812, by the way) at 9pm on BBC One.

Hall of Fame Magazine celebrated Louisa May Alcott's birthday yesterday by sharing a short biography of her.

According to Alcottfilm.com, Louisa wrote her first novel when she was just 17. It was titled The Inheritance and showed the influence of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre on the budding author. (Grace)

Huge Brontëite Anne Lloyd writes on her blog about the Charlotte Brontë exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York. Don't miss the post!! Toronto Public Library also marks the bicentenary.