Women too restless in spirit

The Scotsman gives 4 stars to the performances of Jane Eyre at Bard in the Botanics, Glasgow.

Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, heroine of her 1847 novel, is superficially a very different character from the glamorous, aristocratic and beautiful Hedda Gabler; a mousy and penniless little orphan, with nothing to offer the world but her sharp intelligence. Yet in truth, Hedda and Jane are in many ways heroines cut from the same mould; women too restless in spirit, and too eager to live, love, and stand alongside men as equals, to easily tolerate the attitudes of 19th century society.

In Jennifer Dick’s two-and-a half-hour outdoor version of the story – set in 19th century Scotland – Stephanie McGregor delivers a superb performance as Jane; funny, rebellious, passionate in her quest for true love and connection, and yet always, unlike Hedda, wise enough to know when only patience, hard work, and a deliberate turning towards the light, will offer any way forward.

In a richly rewarding evening, McGregor receives terrific support from Tinashe Warikandwa, Trish Mullin, Stephen Arden and Alan Steele, with a breathtakingly handsome Johnny Panchaud as her love Rochester. And throughout, in a fascinating twist, Jennifer Dick makes much of Jane’s quiet gift for drawing and sketching; raising questions about whether Ibsen’s Hedda might not have found a happier ending, if she had been able – like Jane – to find a creative outlet which she could take seriously, as a way of working through, and surviving, the worst of pain and loss. (Joyce McMillan)

The Statesman features the memoir Racket Boy: Where’s My Country? by Philip George with Geetha K.

Co-author Geetha K calls the book a “transformative turn” in her life — of self-discovery, boundary-pushing and continual elevation.

“Phil and I functioned like a pair possessed with our shared dedication, energy and common interests in current affairs, sports, social issues, empathy for animals and passion for learning. Phil’s triumphs and turmoils were wrapped around my consciousness; I even made spiritual connections to his departed loved ones, especially his parents, and dog George, as one who had devoured Wuthering Heights at 15 would,” she says. (Surya S Pillai)

The Telegraph sums up Yorkshire:

As England’s largest county, you can expect Yorkshire to be a bit exceptional. It is England in miniature: high fells and moorland for wild walking; soft green valleys for timeless villages and sparkling rivers (waterfalls, too); a bracing coastline for family beaches and fossil-hunting; and rolling farmland dotted with romantic ruined abbeys and sprawling stately homes.

Add to the mix a lively dollop of culture – a 500-acre sculpture park, David Hockney, moody Brontë country, museums from the quaint (toys) to the spectacular (trains) – plus one-off Yorkshire experiences such as steaming across the moors in vintage railway carriages, and everyone should be happy. (Helen Pickles)