NoHo reviews A Noise Within's
Jane Eyre even though it says that the novel was written by Emily Brontë.
Jane Eyre is possibly the most perfect example of a bildungsroman in English literature. Namely, it is a story of hardship and self discovery, romance and loss, extreme heartbreak and redemption. If it were not so beautifully and compellingly written, it might be a fluffy romance novella.
But Emily Bronte’s [sic] unmistakable brilliance as a writer elevates this dark, tempestuous, psychologically intense story to legendary status. It is considered to be one of the greatest novels in the English language with very good reason. [...]
But this version of this particular epic and revelatory story is something altogether different. Jane Eyre moves passed performance. It effortlessly, almost imperceptibly, enters our hearts. I could have heard a pin drop throughout most of this astonishing performance, so utterly riveted was I and the audience all around me. [...]
The play distills the novel with complete perfection. The essence of the story and its urgent sense of longing and loss, with always the hovering impending sorrow on the edge of love. A Noise Within has cast from the very core of its company of actors for this wonderful play, and I was thrilled to see Frederick Stuart in the role of Edward Rochester. He fully captured the rakishness and the maddening arrogance of this broken lonely man. But it is Jeanne Syquia as Jane who is the heart of the story and the heart of this play. She is incandescent. Brittle yet sweet, removed yet kind and always intensely compelling. She brings a humor to the role, without being obvious. There is an almost alien quality to Jane Eyre. How else can she forgive everyone in her life who wronged her, including Rochester? Her heart, although repeatedly broken, remains open and unable to judge. It is that quality that bewitches Rochester and maintains that connection through time and distance, and is ultimately what reunites them. Jeanne Syquia stands on the stage, unblinking, unstirring, her eyes wide and deep and she is Jane Eyre.
But then the entire cast is quite unforgettable. All working together to create the world of Jane Eyre and its layers of pain and forgiveness with sublime dedication. All of this makes Jane Eyre an absolute triumph. Unquestionably one of the finest plays I have had the pleasure of seeing at A Noise within or anywhere else for that matter!
Geoff Elliot directs with nuance and lightness of touch. He knows these actors so well and the connection they all have is palpable. The staging, the lighting, the music…all utter perfection and all designed to tell this beautiful story of devotion and love. A Noise Within has that magical ability to focus all and everything on the story they tell. Whatever is on the stage is absolutely everything to them and the result of this devotion is that an audience believes absolutely everything it sees. That is the exchange. A play is performed and an audience is transported. Who could wish for more… (Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros)
Cathy Marston as Director and Choreographer really brings this ballet into the modern day. The choreography is particularly contemporary and allows for natural movement to occur between the characters and across the stage. This is a really clever reimagining. Along with the flowing floaty costumes, designed by Patrick Kinmonth, which with their muted colour palette, allow the dancers to shine and move precisely across the stage. The set design, also designed by Patrick Kinmonth, is a very deep set-back stage that allows the audience to observe two scenes at the same time in some cases. The stage allows the audience to become part of the story and provides a fantastic perspective, as well as plenty of depth and illusion.
This particular technique did make it difficult for some audience members to see some characters on stage at times, but with the inclusion of subtle scenery and props, the plot was easy to follow and enjoy. The use of props throughout the performance spectacularly and seamlessly were interwoven with the ballerina’s bodies as they danced. [...]
The growing romance between Jane and Mr Rochester is explored by dancers Amber Lewis as Jane, and Joseph Taylor as Mr Rochester, who were both able to depict their characters through dance, emotion and body language. Jane’s emotions were wonderfully depicted by Amber Lewis, and throughout the first act the seriousness of her situation along with the depiction of the Yorkshire Moors is beautifully told. Amber and Joseph’s facial expressions and mannerisms really add to the storytelling.
Special mentions also need to be made to the younger cast of Jane Eyre, who brought humour and light into the sombre and sad moments of the tale.
Watching a ballet can often take you back to reflections of a bygone era, but this portrayal is particularly clever with its modern stance, use of foreshadowing and superb storytelling. The setting of Nottingham’s Theatre Royal, with its classic red curtains and grand ceiling with its chandelier, was the perfect setting for this modern reimagining of the classic love story. (Hollie)
The Telegraph and Argus reports that this month’s update to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography features a survey of some 325 lives of people connected with Bradford.
The biographies highlighted in the update range from the Jesuit, James Sharp (1576-1630) to the playwright Andrea Dunbar (1961-1990).
There are familiar names like the Brontë sisters, Sir Titus Salt, Delius, J. B. Priestley, and Billie Whitelaw. (Rowan Newman)
Concidentally,
The Canberra Times recommends 'three English cities that deserve a spot on your bucket list' including
Bradford
Long overshadowed by west Yorkshire next-door neighbour Leeds, Bradford is often portrayed - by the British press especially - as blighted and beleaguered, a far cry from the thriving place dubbed "Woolopolis" during its Victorian manufacturing heyday. But the city has heaps going for it - especially this year when it's flaunting its inspiring, creative side as the 2025 UK City of Culture.
Immersive art exhibitions and concerts, street theatre conjured by the Bradford-born magician Steven "Dynamo" Frayne, and inventive tributes to David Hockney and the Bronte sisters - who all grew up in the area - are among the highlights of the year-long calendar of events. [...]
Production crews also adore the rugged, walker-friendly moors and valleys on Bradford's outskirts. Buses and trains bring you to alluring towns and villages like Haworth, where the Brontes lived and wrote; Hebden Bridge, erstwhile stomping grounds of poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath; and Saltaire, a World Heritage site based around an Italianate-style mill and a model workers' village built by the Victorian industrialist, Titus Salt. Sprinkling Saltaire now are eateries, studios and galleries with more than 400 pieces of art by that man David Hockney. (Steve McKenna)
0 comments:
Post a Comment