An emotive and hauntingly beautiful experience

Narc reviews a concert by The Unthanks as part of the Underdog: The Other Other Brontë wrap around events.

Vocalist duo Becky and Rachel Unthank have been lauded as bringing traditional Northumbrian folk music back to the forefront, with many of their albums sporting a ‘best folk album of the year’ accolade. Tonight’s gig at Northern Stage, part of the Underdog: The Other Other Brontë wrap around events, sees Becky and Rachel joined by Adrian McNally to discuss the making of their album Lines Part Three: Emily Brontë, providing a fascinating insight into the inspiration behind the music.

The words and poetry by Emily Brontë were soaked up by The Unthanks and pieced together in music form; the bleak imagery of the Yorkshire moors and dark themes the Brontë sister touched upon is captured brilliantly. Adrian recalled stories of writing the songs and performing them on Emily Brontë’s very own piano at The Parsonage in Haworth, and the trio’s stories were a very intriguing insight into the production of the album.

The chat was interspersed with performances of songs from the album; Adrian’s delicate piano playing alongside the ethereal harmonies of the Unthanks sisters, resonating and reverberating through the eaves of the theatre, leaving the audience enthralled and contributing to an emotive and hauntingly beautiful experience that left the audience very moved. (Jamie Huntley)

The Oxford Student on George Sand:

George Sand was arguably one of the most famous women in 19th-century France. Yet, you will probably not recognise her name as quickly as, say, the Brontë sisters or Jane Austen. This may partly be attributed to cultural and linguistic differences; Sand is, after all, a francophone writer, with the Brontë’s and Austen being more popular in the anglophone world. However, there is a more complicated history underlying Sand’s fluctuating status. (Sophie Harrison)

Honeymallow pairs classics with zodiac signs.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Oh, Taurus, your deep-rooted desire for stability and your romantic soul find a mirror in the stormy moors of Wuthering Heights. Just as you cherish deep connections and often find yourself yearning for that which feels like home, so does the enduring love of Heathcliff and Catherine withstand the tests of time and tragedy. Like the unyielding landscape of the novel, you too show remarkable resilience and steadfastness in love and life. [...]

Libra (September 23 - October 22): Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Libra, your quest for balance and harmony aligns with Jane Eyre’s own search for a place where love and independence coexist. Like Jane, you strive for fairness in all things and often find yourself mediating conflicts, drawing on your innate understanding of relationships and your empathetic nature. (Lizzie Briar)