A Greek Chorus of Drags singing Hymns

The Henley Standard reviews the local performances of the Midnight Circle production of Wuthering Heights:

It is very fitting that a story like Wuthering Heights, so much about nature and landscape, should be performed in the open air.

We were lucky enough to see the Midnight Circle production on a sunny afternoon in the tranquil walled surroundings of Remenham parish hall.

The loud birdsong may have been part of the sound effects but the butterflies, red kites and fluffy clouds were very real. (...)

This version has been devised jointly by members of the cast and expertly directed by Nicholas Benjamin. The production draws out well-chosen episodes from a complex plot and, to my surprise, finds entertaining humour in what is generally considered to be a dark tale. (...)

Yet the Gothic elements are retained through simple but effective theatrical effects.

Tracey Collier has choreographed dreamlike — or maybe nightmarish — movement. A story about death as well as love includes spectral presences, chillingly clad in grey shrouds.

Masks and ritual speech create the impression, at times, of a Greek chorus. Imaginative use is made of a simple rope to mark out spaces but also to represent the ties and restrictions the characters experience.

Sombre drumbeat emphasises solemn events. Frock coats and empire-line dresses conjure up the Regency period perfectly. (...)

Bravo for a powerful and memorable piece of theatre in a lovely setting. (Susan Creed)

The Times publishes the obituary of the Rt Rev Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926-2024), prolific hymn writer:

He then worked at the Church Pastoral Aid Society, where he was general secretary from 1965 to 1973. The society had been set up by Lord Shaftesbury to help alleviate poverty, and to support clergy; one of its first beneficiaries had been Patrick Brontë in Haworth, father of the writers.

Grazia (India) and the so-called Lit-Girl Summer:

The glamorization of books is a noteable phenomenon today, and it’s here to stay. In times of digitisation, younger generations sing an ode to the times past. For that very reason, we see literature being embraced as an aesthetic, as well as a wave of avid reading being inspired in Gen-Z. From booktok to fashion runways, each creative space has turned a page to channel their inner Jane Eyre, pun intended. (Raina Khalid)

The best dark romance movies according to CBR:

Wuthering Heights Is a Timeless Romantic Tragedy

The 2011 film adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights stars Kaya Scodelario and James Howson as a rebellious couple separated by society's norms. Catherine Earnshaw falls in love with Heathcliff, a boy her father found in the streets of Liverpool and brought to Wuthering Heights. One of the notable aspects of this adaptation is its focus on the passionate and destructive nature of their relationship.

Wuthering Heights's cinematography is strikingly beautiful and heavily contributes to its dark atmosphere. Andrea Arnold's direction emphasizes wide shots and natural lighting to immerse viewers in the character's environment. Their tumultuous relationship is set in the misty landscape of the Yorkshire moors, where there is harsh white fog and sturdy old manor houses. (...)

Jane Eyre Is a Haunting Story of Resilience

Jane Eyre is a 2011 adaptation of the 1847 novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. Starring Mia Wasikowska and Micheal Fassbender, the story follows the journey of a resilient young woman who's an orphan and finds work as a governess. Her employer is Edward Rochester, a moody and mysterious wealthy man who cultivates a deep curiosity about Jane's defiance and independence.

Jane Eyre's central romance between Jane and Mr. Rochester is marked by its complexity and intensity. Their love is born out of mutual respect and connection, but it also faces betrayal and sacrifice. Jane Eyre is steeped in a gothic atmosphere that mirrors the troubled emotions of the main characters, like the eerie halls of Thornfield Hall. It's a timeless tale of inequality and forbidden love that pays great homage to the legendary English novel. (Arantxa Pellme &  Fawzia Khan)

South China Morning Post announces the highlights of next year's Hong Kong Arts Festival:

Emma Rice – Wuthering Heights

Director Emma Rice transforms Emily Brontë’s epic story of love and revenge into an audacious and inventive piece of music theatre co-produced by Britain’s National Theatre, Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal.

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Lyric Theatre, March 26-29

StarsInsider lists romantic movies from Hollywood's golden age:

Wuthering Heights 1939

Emily Brontë sad haunting 1847 tale of Heathcliff, his love for Catherine, and his inability to find true happiness, is brought to life on the big screen by Laurence Oliver and Merle Oberon.

Recipes inspired by your favorite books in Rough Draft Atlanta:

Seed Cake – “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë

Having invited Helen and me to approach the table, and placed before each of us a cup of tea with one delicious thin morsel of toast, she got up, unlocked a drawer, and taking from it a parcel wrapped in paper, disclosed presently to our eyes a good-sized seed cake.

When kind Ms. Temple shares seed cake with Jane and her friend Helen at Lowood boarding school, Jane declares the seed cake to be like “ambrosia.” We hope you feel the same about this traditional Victorian recipe. This recipe is the perfect accompaniment to your reading or watching sessions of Jane Eyre [?].

Get the recipe. (Caroline Werdesheim)

A little bit early, Reader's Digest recommends Halloween Books:

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

For fans of: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë and Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. (Leandra Beabout)

Miami New Times interviews drag artist Yoko Oso:

Trae DeLellis: Considering that this is your final bar show, can you describe your first performance?

Y.O.: My very first bar show was at Macri Park in Brooklyn at 3 a.m. on a Monday night. Absolutely unthinkable now that I work for a living. I had never even stepped on a stage without an instrument or a choir book in hand, so it felt truly vulnerable. I was dancing to my rendition of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" choreography in a bad white wig I haggled from a vendor in Astor Place, a thrift store kimono, donning a glitter beard and deluding myself that I was the image of Leigh Bowery meets Chita Rivera. 

Short love poems in Esquire (Spain), including one by Emily Brontë.