Heritage, Paintings and Out-of-Book Experiences

Three Brontë alerts for today, September 6:

1. A new edition of Heritage Open Days (UK):

North Lees Hall
Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR

An imposing Elizabethan tower house commanding panoramic views over the Peak District countryside. Believed to have provided the inspiration for Thornfield Hall in Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre' and in recent times has been a popular location for filming.

Thursday 6th September: 1300-1600 (by appointment)
Friday 7th September: 1030-1530 (by appointment)
Saturday 8th September: 1030-1530
Sunday 9th September: 1030-1530

Red House
Oxford Road, Gomersal, West Yorkshire, BD19 4JP

Delightful period house displayed as the 1830s home of Mary Taylor, lifelong friend of Charlotte Brontë.Charlotte was a regular visitor and used the house as a model for 'Briarmains' in her novel 'Shirley'. Beautiful gardens and exhibitions in Barn and Cartshed. HOST Open Studios Trail. A host of creativity throughout Kirklees. Meet local artists showing and demonstrating their work at Red House as part of the trail.

Saturday 8th September: 1200-1700
Sunday 9th September: 1200-1700

St Oswald’s Parish Church
The Green, Guiseley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS20 9JB

Ancient Saxon church connected with the marriage of the Rev Patrick Brontë and with the family of the poet Longfellow. 60 minute tour around the church.

Sunday 9th September: 1400-1500

2. An exhibition in Dublin, Ireland:

6th September 2012 – 23rd September 2012
The Art of Jonathan Barry
No Grants Gallery, 12 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

The artist who specializes in painting famous scenes from literature, is showcasing a new body of work including new paintings from the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan Doyle.

These include scenes from A Study In Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes.

Harry Potter fans will relish new scenes from The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban, while lovers of classic horror stories will enjoy the artist’s paintings of Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde, Jane Eyre, and Oh Whistle, and I’ll Come to you my Lad, by M.R.James.
Readers of science fiction novels will appreciate new scenes from The War of the Worlds by H.G.Wells, and Narnia fans will enjoy pictures from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S.Lewis.

 And, as it can be seen in the picture, also Wuthering Heights.

3. And a curious play in Missoula, MT:

An Unladylike Battle For Survival In The Sunnyside Library An Out-of-Book Experience with Jane Eyre and Her Fellow Shelfmates
A play by Jay Kettering

The Sunnyside Library is no dusty, quiet place—a battle is raging.
There's a new librarian in town by the name of Kerosene Kevin and he's brought with him a novel idea—books are for burning, not reading. Fortunately, during this 50-minute play, you'll see that some of those living on the shelves of Sunnyside have decided to fight back. After a narrow escape from the clutches of Kevin (and only first-degree burns), Jane Eyre has appealed to the Shelf People, but she's only been able to recruit a small ragtag army. Among her troops are Esperanza Cordero, a young girl from the Latino section of Chicago; a spirited and beautiful Sioux warrior called Red Dress; and a literate spider named Charlotte. Together, they devise a plan to put a damper on Kevin's burning desire.

A life and death struggle has begun. Will the stories of these literary heroines continue to be told, or will they be snuffed out in flames? Stay tuned!

September 6-8 / Masquer Theatre / 7:30 PM

The play will tour the state in November. More information about the fall tour. The Missoulan adds:

Members of the Montana Repertory Theater will hit the road this month, taking their new play, “An Unladylike Battle for Survival in the Sunnyside Library,” to schools across the state of Montana.
“It’s not unusual that we go into these schools and this is the first play these kids have seen,” said Teresa Waldorf, the theater’s educational outreach coordinator. “Maybe they’ll get involved in theater, or maybe they’ll watch the play and think, ‘Gee, I wish I’d read that assignment.’ ”
Written by local playwright Jay Kettering and directed by Waldorf, the play tells the story of a book-burning librarian named Kerosene Kevin and the “shelfmates” who come alive to stop his incendiary efforts.
Led by Jane Eyre, the shelfmates’ cast includes Alice and Charlotte, the ever-wise spider.
“It’s the cutest, funniest show,” said Waldorf. “There’s puppetry and shadow work within the context of the play. Jay is a master of creating dramatic tension, and it’s highly entertaining for audiences of all ages.” (Martin Kidston)