Until I reviewed the book for this production, I had forgotten that the story reaches down several generations to other unhappy and mismatched lives and marriages, not to mention the plethora of deaths. And the play does generally follow the plot of the novel. So many characters die that hand-held chalkboards were comically used as tombstones to help the audience keep track.
But despite all of the above, Wuthering Heights is difficult to stage while preserving the solitary life of the Earnshaw and Linton families captured by the novel. The amusing touches of humor, Ian Ross’s rousing musical score, and the accompanying dance numbers alter the piece’s overall feel. It’s unclear whether Rice and the Wise Children are lightly mocking Brontë’s story or simply giving the audience a bit of respite from the tragedies.
Other Emma Rice productions were based on folk tales and stories with more straightforward plots that could easily benefit from the addition of clever comedy, singing, dancing, and prancing. With the character-heavy, generational nature of Wuthering Heights, the combination just doesn’t mesh as well. The almost three-hour production is an ingenious event, despite these quibbles. And I recommend it. (Emily S. Mendel)
Yorkshire, England
Immortalized by Emily Brontë's fantasized vision of the Yorkshire Moors in Wuthering Heights, Yorkshire’s heritage is one of equi-rough and smooth. Rugged landscapes and a history of industry and tough materials mix with literature and an ever-evolving art scene that has churned out countless greats—from David Hockney and Barbara Hepworth to renowned sculptor Henry Moore—to create a heady, boundary-pushing mix of man-made and natural beauty.
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