All about Jane Eyre the Musical

Many sites are featuring the premiere of Jane Eyre the Musical in London. From Playbill together with some new pictures:

John Caird and Paul Gordon's 2000 musical version of Jane Eyre is getting a long-awaited U.K. debut at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, and Playbill has a first look at the new production. Performances began August 28 and continue through October 24. Opening night is September 8. (...)

The new staging is co-directed by Caird (Les Misérables) and Megan McGinnis, reuniting after the latter starred in Caird's Daddy Long Legs musical. The production is being produced by Adam Blanshay Productions in partnership with the work's original Canadian producers, David and Hannah Mirvish.

The cast is led by Charlie Burn as Jane and Ashley Gilmour as Rochester, with Claire Greenway as Abbot and Grace Poole; Melad Hamidi as St. John and Lord Ingram; Connor Wood as John Reed and Vicar; Jonathan Andrew Hume as Brocklehurst and Mason; Izzi Levine as Agnes, Leah, Jane's Mother, and Mary Ingram; Hannah Lindsey as Scatcherd and Bertha Mason; Isabelle Methven as Helen Burns and Bessie; Gemma Page as Reed and Fairfax; Eve Shanu-Wilson as Blanche and Sophie; and Poppy Jason and Emily-Rose Samuel as Young Jane and Adele. Casting is by Sarah-Jane Price.

The musical premiered in Toronto in 1996, ultimately making it to Broadway in 2000, bringing Brontë's classic gothic romance to the world of musical theatre. The work would go on to earn five 2001 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. A starry concert production brought the musical back to NYC with a Manhattan Concert Productions performance at Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall starring Erika Henningsen and Ramin Karimloo. News of this production also comes just after the launch of a new chamber revision of the musical with theatrical licensor Music Theatre International. Having premiered in 2024 at North Carolina's Theatre Raleigh with a smaller orchestration, reduced casting needs, and changes to the lyrics and book, this edition likely served as the basis for the U.K. premiere at the 310-seat venue.

“I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to explore a new version of Jane Eyre in the beautifully intimate Southwark Playhouse Elephant," said Caird in an earlier statement. "It's always a pleasure to work on this timeless romance but all the more exciting to be collaborating with the brilliant and innovative Megan McGinnis as co-director."

“Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece is not only a landmark portrayal of a strong female protagonist, but a story that sends audiences out of the theatre feeling better about their own lives than when they walked in," added Gordon.

The production features choreography by Georgina Lamb, music direction and supervision by Ben Kubiak, set and costume design by Morgan Large, sound design by Andrew Johnson, and lighting design by James Whiteside. (Logan Culwell-Block)

Also on West End Theatre, WhatsOnStage, Theatre Weekly, MartinCid, Broadway World, etc.

Manchester Evening News recommends an autumnal trip to Haworth by describing it as 'The 'witchy' Yorkshire village with cosy pubs and cafes that's straight out of Gilmore Girls, perfect for autumn', which seriously couldn't be sillier.

Glam features Charlotte Brontë and some quotes. Clara (Spain) recommends Wuthering Heights among other classic novels written by women. The Brontë Sisters UK posta a video sharing a walk across the windswept Haworth moors with her daughter and dogs, exploring why this wild landscape meant so much to the Brontë family.