Where the streets have names inspired by Emily Brontë

Broadway World reviews Jane Eyre the Musical, currently on stage at Emily Ann Theatre in Texas.

Director Bridget Gates had an unquestionably tough task finding the right actress to embody a character whose show bears her name. But Ms. Gates made the right decision in Devyn Collie. The graceful Ms. Collie stands out as the highlight of this production as she imbues Jane with an equal sense of strength, morality, and vulnerability. Ms. Collie's aching gaze toward Rochester, even while in the background of scenes, understands the show's emotional center rests on the believable passion and yearning between Jane and her enigmatic paramour.
Unfortunately, Ms. Collie provides more than half the passion in this central coupling. Actor Derek Smootz delivers in his choices, but those choices resulted in a fairly open and affable Rochester. These characteristics conflict heavily with the mysterious and brooding master he's described as by the housekeeper. His Rochester's established demeanor had difficulty convincing the audience he might be caught ardently observing Jane without her knowledge. Mr. Smootz's voice also lacked the projection and gravitas necessary to sufficiently overpower yet compliment Ms. Collie's Jane.
Ms. Gates keeps the staging sparse but makes full use of the lighting to convey mood within a scene. A diverse supporting cast holds its own with minimal props to successfully create a world for the leads to explore and react to. Unfortunately, the theatre-in-the-round setting and reasonable choice to forego microphones hinder the production. As the performers move to evenly face all sides, audience members at their backs strain to hear what's being said or sung. In addition, all music is provided by pre-recorded tracks. Though this may have been an unavoidable decision, tracks don't provide the same emotional punch that a live orchestra throws.
Overall, the sweeping, romantic nature of the material is stifled by technical and spatial restrictions and no emotional payoff as a result of unbalanced chemistry between the leads. Ms. Collie shines as Jane, but not quite bright enough to make the entire EmilyAnn Theatre and Garden's production of Jane Eyre, The Musical worth a ticket and a trip to Wimberley. (Madelyn Geyer)

Another Jane Eyre in another corner of the world as La Voz de Galicia (Spain) interviews Ariadna Gil, who plays Jane in Carme Portaceli's adaptation.

-¿Sigue atrapando al público?
-Es cierto que «Jane Eyre» es una obra tan leída y conocida que parece increíble que siga suscitando tantas pasiones y lecturas, desde el cine al teatro o a otros medios. Pero es un texto con unas peculiaridades tan concretas, con una mujer tan fuerte y con unos principios tan inquebrantables que siempre tendrá vigencia.
-¿Con qué se encontrará el espectador?
-Con una historia que en dos horas condensa una novela de 600 páginas: desde los diez años de la protagonista a toda su vida, y desde sus problemas familiares a su amor por Rochester (Abel Folk), al que en un principio detestaba. Y todo contado con mucha agilidad.
¿Cómo se mantiene el ritmo en dos horas de espectáculo?
-Con mucha tensión y una gran rapidez en los cambios. El personaje entra y sale de la escena constantemente, muchos de los compañeros asumen varios papeles, el escenario se transforma con muy pocas cosas y también hay una proyección... todo contribuye a crear una historia que te atrapa desde el principio. (Xosé Manoel Rodríguez) (Translation)

Fine Books & Collections encourages readers to go an see an exhibition by British artist Celia Paul opening this weekend at the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA. One of the paintings is particularly commended:

one of which is bound to captivate the Brontëans among us. The Brontë Parsonage (with Charlotte’s Pine and Emily’s Path to the Moors) has its roots in Paul’s recollection of her childhood home near Brontë’s Parsonage. Hilton Als, prize-winning art critic and curator of this exhibition, speculates “that Paul might have seen parallels between the Brontë family and her own, many members of whom have been involved in the Church of England,” according to a statement released by the Huntington. (Rebecca Rego Barry)

Culture Now (Greece) recommends Artemis Potamianos's exhibition at Enia Gallery.

Έντονες αναφορές στα στερεότυπα της έμφυλης ταυτότητας, εκδηλώνουν masculine στοιχεία όπως μία vintage αγγλική ομπρέλα που συνυπάρχει εγκιβωτισμένη μαζί με μία ραπτομηχανή, μία ειρωνική ελεγεία επάνω στους χώρους που ιστορικά καταλάμβαναν τα δύο φύλα στον δημόσιο και ιδιωτικό χώρο, ή μία παλιά έκδοση της Jane Eyre που περιτυλίγει μέσα της όλη την καταπιεσμένη συνθήκη του να είσαι μία συνειδητοποιημένη γυναίκα το 1847. (Φαίη Τζανετουλάκου) (Translation)

The Times also finds romantic inspiration throughout Yorkshire thanks to our Emily.

One in ten house names in Britain is inspired by romance, according to Royal Mail, showing that we have an affection for our homes, if nothing else.
The nation’s biggest love nest is Yorkshire, where people are known for their dry sense of humour and no-nonsense view of life. Possibly inspired by Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, it has 354 streets and houses with romantic names, more than any other county. (David Byers)

Several ideas for Valentine's Day in Spectator Life.

Books
You cannot go wrong with a classic novel. Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd (see Gabriel Oak’s coffin vandalism), Trollope’s Can You Forgive Her? (see Planty Pall choosing his wife’s honour over his own career), or Jane Austen’s Persuasion (Captain Wentworth’s love letter to Anne) are all fail safes. Or try a bespoke book subscription for a gift that will keep on giving throughout the year. (Constance Watson)

While Women.com has selected '7 Classic Romance Novels You Should Read In This Lifetime', including

6. Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is an example of the dark side of love and what happens when we take no for an answer. When Catherine Earnshaw rejects poor, Heathcliff he dedicates his life to winning her back including ruining the life of the man she ends up with. The passion will jump right off the page in this classic tale. (Sophie Matthews)

Jenny (Greece) recommends 5 classics to read over the weekend, including Wide Sargasso Sea.

4. Η πλατιά θάλασσα των Σαργασσών - Jean Rhys
Ένα αριστούργημα αντικρουόμενων συναισθημάτων και διαθέσεων, "Η πλατιά θάλασσα των Σαργασσών" είναι εμπνευσμένη από την Jane Eyre. Χάρη σε αυτό το μυθιστόρημα, η Rhys έχει κατακτήσει τη θέση που της ανήκει ως κλασική εκπρόσωπος της αγγλόφωνης λογοτεχνίας. (Χριστίνα Γουδρούπη) (Translation)

Hey, we could be in Jeopardy! According to North Jersey,

On Friday's "Jeopardy," we'll see whether three masterminds who can name all the countries bordering Bolivia, or which Brontë wrote "Jane Eyre," can run the table on the Garden State. (Jim Beckerman)

Wall Street Journal reviews ITV's (now on Amazon Prime) White Dragon / Strangers, in which a first edition of Jane Eyre appears. Comet over Hollywood reviews Wuthering Heights 1939.