Jane Eyre the Musical media day

The Fan Carpet features media day at Jane Eyre. The Musical.

Hosted by producer Adam, the afternoon began with a heartfelt introduction that immediately set the tone. Rather than simply discussing the logistics of bringing the production to London, he shared the personal journey that led him to champion the musical's UK premiere.

Having first discovered Jane Eyre as a young theatre fan in Toronto, Adam recalled becoming captivated by the original cast recording before eventually seeing the Broadway production. Years later, after rediscovering the musical, he tracked down co-creators John Caird and Paul Gordon, leading to the production now preparing to open in London. It was a reminder that this is very much a passion project as well as a theatrical production.

That passion was echoed throughout the afternoon.

Co-director Megan McGinnis spoke movingly about Jane Eyre not only as one of her favourite musicals but also as a deeply important feminist story. Nearly two centuries after Charlotte Brontë first introduced readers to Jane, her search for equality, independence and self-worth continues to resonate with modern audiences, making the novel as relevant today as it was in the Victorian era.

John Caird expanded on those themes, describing Jane Eyre as far more than a romance. For him, it is fundamentally a story about moral growth, self-worth and mortality. He explained how Jane begins life with almost nothing, while Rochester appears to possess everything, before their emotional journeys gradually reverse as the story unfolds. It is this character-driven storytelling, he believes, that has allowed the novel to endure for generations.

One of the most fascinating insights into the adaptation came as Caird explained the production's unique approach to narration.

Rather than asking Charlie Burn, who plays Jane, to carry every moment of narration herself, the ensemble collectively becomes Jane's voice, allowing the audience to experience the story through multiple performers while remaining firmly rooted in Brontë's first-person perspective. It is an intriguing theatrical concept that immediately distinguishes this adaptation from previous versions.

The rehearsal itself offered an exciting glimpse of what audiences can expect when the production opens. The company performed several musical excerpts that demonstrated not only the emotional depth of Paul Gordon's score but also the exceptional vocal ability throughout the cast. Even in a rehearsal environment, the commitment and chemistry between the performers was immediately apparent, creating genuine anticipation for the finished production.

Equally impressive was the thought that has gone into the staging.

Although designer Morgan Large was unable to attend in person, his creative vision was shared with those present. An open playing space, visible costume pegs, lanterns suspended above the stage and a landscape of thorns beneath combine to create a symbolic environment that reflects both Jane's longing for freedom and the emotional obstacles she faces throughout her journey. Rather than attempting to recreate every location from the novel, the design embraces theatrical simplicity, allowing the company and storytelling to remain at the heart of the production.

Another creative decision that stood out was the choice to cast real children in the roles of Young Jane and Adèle. As the creative team explained, experiencing Jane's childhood through genuine young performers helps establish the emotional foundation upon which the entire story is built.

Following the presentation, members of the media were given the opportunity to conduct breakout interviews with the cast and creative team before exploring the production's costume and design concepts.

Over the coming weeks, The Fan Carpet will be bringing you a series of exclusive interviews from the rehearsal room, including conversations with co-director Megan McGinnis, co-book writer and co-director John Caird, Eve Shanu-Wilson, Emily-Rose Samuel, Poppy Rose Jason and Isabelle Methven, as we continue our coverage leading up to opening night.

With rehearsals well underway, one thing was immediately clear: this is a company approaching one of English literature's greatest novels with enormous respect, while confidently embracing the possibilities that musical theatre offers. We look forward to seeing how that vision comes together when Jane Eyre opens at Southwark Playhouse Elephant later this month.

Here's how Harper's Bazaar describes Gabbriette and Matty Healy’s wedding pictures:

Matty Healy and Gabbriette’s wedding photos are finally here, and the dark romance of it all is truly bewitching. The string of photos—shared by the model in several separate Instagram posts—are chaotic, intentionally low-res, gothic, sexy, and filled with the yearning passion of every Emily Brontë novel—like Wuthering Heights but with grungy, rock ‘n’ roll, Hollywood types. (Rosa Sanchez)

Every Emily Brontë novel being just the one.

Stratford Observer features its local Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever.

It looked like a Kate Bush lookalike competition was underway in Stratford at the weekend.

Dozens of residents – and a few familiar faces – turned out in red for The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, held at the Bandstand, on Saturday (August 1).

The flash mob was organised to celebrate the career and birthday of singer Kate Bush and also to raise funds for women’s domestic violence and health charities.

The group of budding dancers joined thousands of people across the world recreating the video to Bush’s 1978 song Wuthering Heights, inspired by Emily Bronte’s novel.

 This is the second year the event has taken place in Stratford, organised by Stratford Town Trust and Stratford BID. (Philippa Mingins)

Some contributors to The Conversation discuss 'How rewilding could help stop the spread of Britain’s wildfires' quoting from Jane Eyre along the way.

The purple, treeless moors found across Britain’s uplands can look timeless and wild. In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë described “the purple moors” as “a wilderness of heath”. Yet these moors have been shaped by clearance, drainage, grazing, pollution and burning. (Joe Glentworth, Anna Gilchrist and Ian Thornhill)