'He gathered a half-blown rose, the first on the bush, and offered it to me'

The Lighthouse (Australia) reviews shake & stir’s production of Jane Eyre while discussing the enduring appeal of the original story.

The top three reasons why we are still haunted by Jane Eyre

1. The spirited heroine

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2. The romance and passion

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3. The haunting Gothic atmosphere

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[Nelle] Lee delivers a smart, spirited heroine made relatable through the emotional gravitas of her performance. Julian Garner’s similarly masterful portrayal of Rochester amplifies the romance of the story (and perhaps leans towards a positive interpretation of the lovers’ reunion in the final scenes).

However, the success of this adaptation lies mostly in its intelligent, sophisticated handling of the Gothic elements of the novel, which are brought centre stage and amplified to dazzling, haunting effect.

Sound, lighting, music and ingenious set design work in beautiful symbiosis to provide dark and stormy atmosphere, and the powerful use of real fire as a constant refrain underscores the novel’s symbolic tensions between darkness and light – the passions which lurk hidden and repressed within us but threaten to erupt, consume and ultimately destroy us.

However, the Gothic atmosphere in this production is no mean trick designed merely to entertain us. Instead, the Gothic is handled with a Brontëan sophistication to convey some of the story’s most emotional and painful moments.

Most powerful, perhaps, is the choice to represent Jane’s inner thoughts through two uncanny, shadowy figures (played by Jodie le Vesconte and Sarah McLeod, who also play a host of other characters) who alternately pose questions that Jane answers.

This is a clever way to represent consciousness on stage, and the echoing, doubling effect of the multiple voices creates a wonderful sense of inner turmoil threatened by the constant possibility of descent into madness. Often this subconscious takes the form of haunting original music written and performed by McLeod, adding an even deeper layer to the psychology made manifest on stage.

A particularly powerful moment occurs when the play emphasises the classic interpretation of Jane and the 'mad' wife Bertha as doubles of one another, where Bertha represents the dangers for women consumed by their passions. At one point Jane stands directly beneath Bertha, the two women moving in complete unison, framed by darkness.

In another, a bridal veil, illuminated like a ghost against the shadows, links the two women. The uncanny, unsettling doubling of these women in amplified by the fact that McLeod plays both Bertha and one half of Jane’s subconscious.

Beautifully paced with dreamlike intensity, this adaptation strikes right at the gothic, emotional heart of Brontë’s novel. Intelligent, sensitive and wildly entertaining all at once, this is a must-see production. (Kirstin Mills)

WABE features writer Leesa Cross-Smith and her new novel Half-Blown Rose.

I took the title from ‘Jane Eyre,’” Cross-Smith explained. “In it, Charlotte Bronte writes, ‘He gathered a half-blown rose, the first on the bush, and offered it to me.’ And I just thought it was so beautiful… (Adron McCann)

Elle asks bookish questions to screenwriter and author Tom Perrotta.

The book that: …helped me through a breakup:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I picked this up in the midst of a bad breakup. Jane’s stoic, resilient voice made me realize that sometimes there’s nothing to do but look your troubles in the eye and get on with your life. (Riza Cruz)

The Guardian reports that there are 'Plans for [a] natural lido high in Brontë country'.

Plans are being drawn up for the UK’s highest-altitude lido, a chemical-free, “natural” outdoor pool perched up on the West Yorkshire moors.

Conceived during the lockdown boom in open water swimming, it is hoped the Yorkshire Swim Works acan be built near Oxenhope, a small village close to Haworth, which was once home to the Brontë sisters.

Situated 378 metres (1,240ft) above sea level, the site is at the intersection of various long-distance walking paths including the Pennine Way and the Brontë Way, and offers far-reaching views of the moorland made famous by Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights.

Though still in the very early stages, the team behind the project have outline planning permission to buy a 7-acre site that was formerly a water treatment plant by Thornton Moor reservoir and reimagine it as “an accessible, safe, natural outdoor swimming destination for everyone”. (Helen Pidd)

Finally, here's a question from today's The Times' Daily Quiz:

2 Which queen was described by Charlotte Brontë as looking like “a little stout, vivacious lady”? (Olav Bjortomt)

ABC do ABC's (Brazil) tip of the week is streaming Jane Eyre 2011.