The guided walk, taking place in Haworth on Sunday, November 1 from 11am to 1pm, will explore the folklore, hauntings and industrial history behind some of Yorkshire’s best-known literary works.Led by poet and Penistone Hill artist-in-residence Kristina Diprose, the event is titled 'What Haunts the Moor?' and will take participants from Haworth to the Penistone Hill trig point.Ms Diprose described the event as a "A ghost walk with a twist."We'll be going on a short walk from Haworth up to the Penistone Hill trig point, exploring what haunts the landscape from bog lore, its industrial past, and from the archives of the Brontë Parsonage Research Library."The walk will explore stories of bog bodies, ghostly black dogs, forgotten industries, and the enduring mysteries of the moorland that helped shape the imagination of the Brontë sisters.The event is inspired by Ms Diprose’s audio trail, How to Talk to the Moor, which was created during her residency on Penistone Hill.Ms Diprose said: "I've been artist in residence on Penistone Hill from August to October and have loved learning about the hidden history of this iconic landscape.She said "It offers a chance to share some of the stories and facts I've been inspired by in my writing, and to get to know Brontë country as you've perhaps never seen it before."The walk will also touch on the moor’s literary legacy, including references to the supernatural black dogs of Yorkshire folklore, known as the barghest and gytrash.Ms Diprose said: "I love how Charlotte Brontë weaves Yorkshire gytrash folklore into Jane Eyre, using the black dog myth to give Jane's first encounter with Mr Rochester a sinister edge of foreboding."In addition to ghost stories and folklore, the walk will highlight the environmental importance of the Haworth moors as a carbon store and nature reserve.Ms Diprose said: "The Haworth moors aren't just a historical or a literary curiosity – they're a vital carbon store and habitat, including for threatened species of ground nesting birds like the curlew."Art is one of the ways that we can shine a spotlight on why these places are worth celebrating, exploring and cherishing for future generations."The two-mile walk is expected to take around two hours.It is free to attend, but booking is required.Walkers will meet outside The Old School Room in Haworth. (Amelia Short)
The Ottawa Little Theatre knows how to set the stage for spooky season in the city by selecting a play that falls into the realm of the macabre. This year, OLT chose Charlotte Brontë's gothic romance, Jane Eyre, as its Halloween offering. Adapted for the stage by Erin Shields, this version of the literary classic focuses less on the romance between Jane (Lauren Reisig) and Rochester (Josh Sparks), and more on Jane's intellect, confidence, and free spirit in the face of disparagement and despair. [...]This set, designed by Lindsay Laviolette and Venetia Lawless, is more stripped down than is common for OLT these days. The stage contains a large staircase with an open platform representing the upstairs portion of the house; the far right and left areas are also used to extend the space into a bedroom on one side and an outdoor area on the other. Because the staging is so open and scaled down, it leaves much to the imagination; however, since there are multiple locations in the story, this is a logical way to ensure that the narrative can flow without the need for elaborate sets. Even though I understand why the designers took this route, I still lament the missed opportunity to create a lavish, gothic estate.Dawn Fanjoy’s costumes are period appropriate, and I particularly enjoyed young Jane’s quick change into a pinafore when she left for school. The use of a puppet, designed by Chelsey Prince and Damian Piper to represent Rochester’s dog, Pilot (puppeteered by Prince and Gabrielle Dumonceaux), is unique, even though the dog’s role is limited. Some microphones seemed underpowered on opening night, making certain cast members difficult to understand. This was especially true with Gordon’s singing voice. Hopefully, mics will be adjusted in future performances, and this will not be an ongoing issue. The sound of horse hooves is cleverly paired with a wheeled stagecoach prop, creating a convincing illusion without causing any noticeable disruption to the set (sound design by Jana van Wyk). Roxane Boucher’s lighting design is also highly effective, especially when combined with the boom of clapping thunder to set the scene. Scene changes done after the lights have faded allow them to be accomplished seamlessly.There are many characters in Jane Eyre and as a result, there are multiple double and even triple roles; but because of the story’s distinct chronology, aided by good direction (Lindsay Laviolette), the audience is never in doubt as to who is who.Despite their obvious acting abilities, the chemistry between Sparks and Reisig was a bit stiff on opening night, but it did warm up as the show progressed. Conversely, the chemistry between Reisig and Herrejón, who portrayed St. John, a competitor for Jane’s affection, was immediately apparent.Although not without its flaws, Jane Eyre is a well-executed play that provides an appropriately spooky vibe for this Halloween season. The decision to keep the feminist dimensions of Jane's character at the forefront helps the story remain engaging for modern audiences, as well as literature aficionados. (Courtney Castelino)
The trend arrives as 2026 has reached a new peak of period drama fever, with remakes of Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice arriving on our screens this year, with the latter two’s costume designers leaning on a range of references from Elizabethan, Georgian and Victorian dress to create the show-stopping pieces spotted on screen. (Chiara Wilkinson)
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