From the Yorkshire moors to the Philippines, from Japan to Brazil, by way of Turkey, Mexico, and France, students from Nantes Université (FLCE) invite you to discover the many lives of Emily Brontë’s classic novel. Created by third-year students majoring in English as part of their Cultural Translation course with Laëtitia Saint-Loubert,, this online exhibition explores how Wuthering Heights has travelled across languages, cultures, and media.Through interactive maps and digital timelines, the online exhibition Wuthering Heights in Translation traces the novel’s many journeys through its translations, adaptations, and rewritings across diverse cultural and historical contexts.How do you translate the untranslatable? What happens to Gothic aesthetics, gender relations, or the violence of passion as they cross linguistic, cultural, and medial boundaries? From adapt ations for young readers to ballets inspired by the novel, from book covers that reinvent its visual world to costumes that bring its characters to life, from the translation of proper names to epistolary rewritings and imagined accounts of Heathcliff's enigmatic youth, these projects offer a wealth of new ways to rediscover Wuthering Heights. Others explore the novel's silences, ellipses, and unresolved mysteries, inviting visitors to investigate, play, and reflect on the many transformations of this enduring classic.Collaborative, creative, and digital, this project showcases the vitality of a novel that, for nearly two centuries, has continued to be translated, adapted, reinvented, and reinterpreted around the world.
Perched on the edge of the rugged Yorkshire moors that inspired Emily Brontë to write her masterpiece “Wuthering Heights”, the quaint village of Haworth has long been a place of literary pilgrimage.Now the latest big-screen adaptation of her classic 1847 novel – starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi and with a Charli XCX soundtrack – is drawing a fresh influx of visitors.It was here that Emily and her sisters, Charlotte and Anne, lived and wrote.More than 150 years after the sisters’ deaths, “the world is still fascinated with their stories,” said Canadian retiree Nancy Marto, adding that being able to visit Haworth was “a dream come true”.“I think the fact that there is a new version of ‘Wuthering Heights’... speaks to the power of these authors, to Emily, but also to her sisters,” she said.Two weeks after the release of the film, picturesque Haworth in north-west England with its narrow, cobbled streets and small stone houses, is packed. [...]Mr Johnnie Brigg, a local tour guide, has been inundated with requests in recent weeks.“They want to come here and experience the Brontës, the moor, and find their own interpretation of Emily,” he said.The film would attract a “whole new generation of people” who had not yet read the book but were “completely besotted” after seeing the film, he added.The parsonage between the village and the moors where the Brontës lived with their clergyman father and brother, Branwell, is now a museum dedicated to their memory.Emily’s sister Charlotte also wrote “Jane Eyre” here, another classic of English literature.The museum’s Mia Ferullo, who has been giving talks on “Bronte-mania” for the past fortnight, said “so many people” were “picking up the book for the first time” as a result of the film.Museum director Rebecca Yorke said 500 people of all ages and backgrounds visited on one Saturday.Numbers like that were usually only seen in peak season such as during the August summer holidays, Ms Yorke said.“Everyone is talking about Emily Brontë and ‘Wuthering Heights’.... It’s just extraordinary,” she added.
Become a Brontë for the weekend in Haworth, West YorkshireHeathcliff Cottage – Haworth, West YorkshireSleeps: SixPrice: Seven nights from £565The aptly named Heathcliff Cottage is a traditional stone-built retreat set in the heart of Haworth, the village where the Brontë sisters resided.Complete with subtle nods to Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, including inspired artwork, it’s the perfect base for fans of the story. Beautiful interiors add depth and character, including exposed wood and stone, as well as luxurious colour schemes.The Yorkshire Moors, where Wuthering Heights is set, are within walking distance of Heathcliff Cottage, and guests can also explore the independent shops of Haworth before popping into a local pub or café. There’s also the Brontë Parsonage Museum, which holds regular talks, exhibitions, and displays. (Daniel Smith)
We recently mentioned a blockbuster movie based on a classic Emily Brontë novel. Which inspires Jenny Wilson to admit Withering’ Heights.“I always wondered,” says Jenny, “how much the Heights withered. Was it enough for them to become Lows instead of Heights?” (Lorne Jackson)
A bookshop owner says customers wanting to buy a copy of Wuthering Heights because they think ithat for years she believed the book was called ‘t is a "bonkbuster" are "going to be seriously disappointed".Demand for Emily Brontë's magnum opus soared after the release of Emerald Fennell's film adaption starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.According to Penguin Classics, sales of the 19th Century gothic tragedy went up by 469% year on year in January 2026, with 8,795 more copies sold.But Suzie Grogan, from Framlingham Books, warned that any shoppers hoping for the novel to be as raunchy as the film version might end up feeling shortchanged."I'm going to tell you, if you're looking for a bonkbuster, you're going to be seriously disappointed," she said."There's so much naughty stuff in it (the film) and, to be quite honest, Emily Brontë must be turning in her grave in Howarth [sic] at the idea of it, frankly." (Sarah Lilley and George King)
The original novel Wuthering Heights was published by Emily Brontë in 1847, but the story itself is set much earlier – beginning in 1801.Heathcliff’s arrival at Wuthering Heights takes place in 1771, with the new film adaptation wrapping up events in 1784.But sharp-eyed fans have pointed out that Belgium – referenced in the movie – wasn’t founded until 1830, decades after the timeline in which the story unfolds.Taking on Reddit, one fan wrote: “In Wuthering Heights, Isabella, when talking to Cathy, boasts about dresses from France, Italy and… Belgium.“This makes no sense as Belgium did not exist as a state until 1830, almost half a century after the events of the film take place.”Despite the major blunder, the UK ranks Wuthering Heights among the top-grossing films of the year, with strong ticket sales behind it. (Henna Sharma)
The ambiance emphasizes the unsettling, somewhat dreamlike feel that encapsulates “Wuthering Heights.”All things considered, the film is not an exact adaptation of Brontë’s gothic romance novel “Wuthering Heights.” If one goes into the film expecting a true adaptation of the original novel, they would leave the theaters disappointed. As its own, individual work of art, the film proves to be a beautiful picture, throwing the audience into the setting. “Wuthering Heights” is a movie really made to be seen in a theater to experience the true atmospheric nature of it. (Zoe Whitman)
Robbie and Elordi’s overindulgent (but fitting) performances would have become unbearable if it was not for the refreshing ice-cold chill given by Chau’s performance. She dominates every scene she is in with an enigmatic vindictiveness that makes her next moves unpredictable but empathetic. She is the daunting voice of reason that is the antithesis to the indulgences the rest of the story takes.Directors need to be less afraid of humiliating themselves in a world where online dialogue is attached to success. A director who is unafraid of making bad movies will always be appreciated by certain movie-goers. Film is Fennell’s freedom to make her shameless art, a quality that produces the most dynamic artists. It is what has the power to turn the passive experience of watching a movie into experiencing a confessional.Those who want a movie like Fennell’s debut film, “Promising Young Woman”, will have mixed feelings. “Promising Young Woman” was clinical and heavy. “Wuthering Heights” is the levity in her career, one that allows herself to lean into the fantasies that “Promising Young Woman” and “Saltburn” rejected.For all its political incorrectness, it is well-meaning and devoted to making the audience love Cathy and Heathcliff as much as Fennell does. It is a tender and frustrating ode to the stories that inspired teenage fanfiction careers. (Maddie Dort)
But the greatest sin “Wuthering Heights” commits is that, despite the promised eroticism that the film was made and sold on, it’s just not remotely hot and, instead, surprisingly tame. I can accept and enjoy a film where the romance takes a backseat to more simplistic, lustful needs, but if that’s the case then you need to take a bigger swing than Fennell does here, where the most charged imagery she can muster is a repeated motif of Heathcliff’s sweaty, scarred back and of a slimy white snail slowly trickling down a window Cathy gazes longingly out of. I’m not saying that the film needed to have scenes of full penetration to fulfill its promise of being a sexually charged epic romance, but at the very least, Elordi could have hung some dong or something. (Harry Moore)
As a movie rather than an adaptation, the movie was entertaining though it exaggerated the dark romance elements to an uncomfortable degree, using lust as a selling point rather than a narrative to tell a deeper story. The cinematics were beautiful, showcasing the green misty moors and elaborate gothic manors, whose gloom adds to the narratives depressing tone. At the same time, this overshadowed the plot to the extent that the only take was that the directors preferred vibes to substance.The costume design was strikingly beautiful but unfitting for the 19th centurysetting. Elordi alone wore clothes fitting of the setting compared to Robbie whose elaborate outfit looked like it belongs at the MET Gala. The worst offender of Robbie’s outfits was a dress that looked like colorful plastic wrap.For such a bad plot, the actors were able to spin so much tension into every moment they appeared on-screen together. This movie wants to be the next dark romance obsession of the young women, and may be for some, but like “Saltburn,” another story about unhealthy obsession gone wrong from the same director, this movie will fade from cultural memory in a couple of years. (Andrea Roberts)
Now, if Fennell had chosen to create an original film inspired by “Wuthering Heights,” à la “50 Shades of Grey” to “Twilight,” there wouldn’t have been so much to complain about. “Wuthering Heights” is, understandably, one of the hardest novels to adapt to film. All adaptations so far have lacked at least some important aspects of the novel because there is so much content and symbolism to sift through that it’s hard to pin down what is most important to focus on.But choosing a story known for its criticism of institutionalized classism and racism and turning it into a horny romantic drama will never be appealing.If media literacy is dead and buried, Emerald Fennell is among those holding a shovel. (Gimena Baez Baez)
Though a few of the tracks can feel similar to each other at times, Charli’s lyricism and modernized theme bring forth the need for feeling in an epic drama such as this film. Each song focuses on the tensions seen between the two characters, Catherine and Heathcliff, played by Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.While some of the repeated tempos and lyrics bring some tracks down, the album is still able to shine and makes the most sense when seeing the film, as it creates the world Fennell is attempting to give audiences.The “Wuthering Heights” soundtrack is a triumphant pivot for Charli xcx, who is only just getting started in her work on films. Its gothic, modern-pop sound marks a new beginning in the singer’s undebated discography, and will push her to new heights no matter what she does next. (Diego Baez)
Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Wuthering Heights will open in March 2027 at Leeds Grand Theatre before performances at venues including Sadler’s Wells in London. [...]Artistic Director Federico Bonelli said: “Northern Ballet has a history of transforming classic novels into blockbuster ballets and Wuthering Heights is no exception. The combined might of David Nixon’s choreography and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s music is an unstoppable force of emotion which carries the audience through this tumultuous and tragic love story. We began our trio of Northern stories with a Jane Eyre revival in 2025 and Gentleman Jack in 2026, so it feels only fitting to bring back Wuthering Heights, a ballet I know is a fan favourite with many of our loyal audiences.” (Emma Clayton)
Was it a dare? A mistake? A figment of this writer’s imagination? None of the above. I have seen all two hours of this cultural artefact, and trust me when I say that it is the most memorable feature-length adaptation of the novel that has ever been made. It may also be the worst, but that is beside the point.Vanishingly minimal choreography, plastic rocks, two very bad wigs, and an incongruously jaunty soundtrack make this production what it is. The acting excels at loudness. The makeup excels at the colour brown. Richard does a lot of arm tossing, like a mime who’s been tasked with depicting the slow, excruciating death of a rapidly deflating blow-up doll, but unlike a mime, however, he makes a lot of sounds, some of them musical, some of them not. He is fully committed, and it is one of the bravest performances I’ve ever seen.Richard has been obsessed with Wuthering Heights ever since he read the novel as a kid, but it wasn’t until he hit his fifties that he had time to do something about it. Emily Brontë’s 1847 story follows the destructive love story between Cathy Earnshaw and her adopted foundling brother Heathcliff. After she marries a wealthy neighbour, he dedicates his life to seeking revenge on everyone in her family. It’s dark, violent, and nasty, three words that do not come to mind when thinking of the crooner behind ‘Miss You Nights.’Still, by the early 1990s, Richard was itching to get back into acting. Those who only know him as the Christian-adjacent chart-topper might not be aware that in the 1960s, he was consistently beating James Bond at the box office with his series of promotional musicals. In the ‘80s, he took his acting qualifications to the theatre to appear in the intergalactic space musical Time, which was roundly panned by critics but was a hit with his voracious fanbase.Ready to tread the boards once more, Richard finally acknowledged what had been lurking in his heart since boyhood. “There was one dream role that I longed to play above all others,” he wrote in his memoir. “I wanted to be Heathcliff.” He wasn’t completely delusional. He knew that no one in their right mind would cast a 55-year-old white Englishman as a teenage “gipsy”. But he had a solution. It wasn’t to cast someone younger or dial up Tom Cruise and ask for some of the fetal stem cells he’s been stockpiling. His solution was to produce the thing on his own so that he had the last word on casting.He assembled a stellar crew. His former bandmate and Olivia Newton-John collaborator, John Farrar, composed the music, Tim Rice, who co-wrote several of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most successful musicals, penned the lyrics, and Frank Dunlop, who founded the Young Vic, took directorial duties. The casting choices were less important because this was no regular Wuthering Heights adaptation. This version was to be called simply Heathcliff, and despite a lot of scripted wailing from Helen Hobson, who plays Cathy, none of the other characters register.Despite the supergroup of artists at the helm, things went terribly wrong with Heathcliff from its inception. Where Kate Bush managed to create a sound and lyrics that evoke the tone of the novel (“How could you leave me / When I needed to possess you? / I hated you, I loved you too”), the same cannot be said of Richard’s version. While the lyrics delve into the darkness of the subject matter, the sound of it is, well, the Cliff Richard sound. Nearly all the numbers are shimmery, synth-heavy ballads so benign that they practically wipe your brain clean of all thought or sensation, the sonic equivalent of a very effective lobotomy.The choreography is more milling than dancing, and even the way the actors move through each scene without the musical numbers is strangely circumspect. At one point, when Heathcliff ventures to India (this is not in the book) and confronts the local monarch with a pistol, the man does a tiny wave of his hands to indicate that he doesn’t want to be shot dead at point-blank range. This is pretty much the extent of the physical work.The biggest problem of all, of course, is that Richard, who has spent his entire career denouncing the drugs and alcohol-soaked antics of his peers, simply does not possess the darkness required to play a grade A bastard. Even when he beats his wife, he may as well be lightly swiping her with a velvet glove for all the violent rage it imparts. He does take strides to slip, chameleon-like, into his character. The scene in India includes a lot of hookah smoking, which one can assume is the famously drug-averse Richard’s shorthand for utter moral degradation. For his audience, this must have been the equivalent of slapping a sign on his bronzed forehead reading “NOT CLIFF”.The acting comes into its full glory during scenes of plot-driven drama, such as when Mr Earnshaw falls down dead after lightly cuffing his daughter or when Cathy appears to perish randomly, without ailment. Rocketing up the plastic stone steps of a Yorkshire promontory, Heathcliff delivers what Richard called his most affecting lines of dialogue.If it wasn’t for this moment, this musical might not be worth remembering, but skip to the end of the trailer (or watch the whole thing if you’re trying to prove something) and wait for Richard’s delivery. “I cannot live without my life,” he hisses, “I cannot live without my sooooooooouuuuuuuuuul.” That last word is bellowed several octaves above comfort, and it’s a choice that turns what could simply be a bad performance into a virtuosic one. Richard is not an actor, but my god, is he a performer.Heathcliff was predictably panned by critics, who dutifully called out the ropey acting, stilted choreography, and overall tedium. But the pop star knew his audience. Posters for the show featured the heading “When Reviews Aren’t Good Audiences Know Better,” followed by a list of dire quotes from critics and claims that half a million tickets had been sold anyway.Why this shining example of flamboyant theatrical tosh has been forgotten is a mystery, but it deserves to be celebrated. We don’t have to pretend it’s good, but we should all admire the guts and originality behind it. What other pop star at the peak of their powers would do something so daring and misguided? JLo’s This is Me… Now was a self-serving vanity project in which she burnished her usual persona at great monetary expense.There was no jeopardy in it, and with Heathcliff, we got to see a pop star try something completely insane that they had never done before… we can only hope that, by excavating this deliriously strange relic from the dregs of the ‘90s, we might inspire James Blunt to embark on a musical version of Oliver Twist in which he plays the titular child, or Susan Boyle to star as the lead character in a genre-bending adaptation of Annie. The possibilities are endless. (Lily Hardman)
Bush explained, “When I first read Wuthering Heights I thought the story was so strong. This young girl in an era when the female role was so inferior and she was coming out with this passionate, heavy stuff. Great subject matter for a song. I loved writing it.”It really is a remarkable performance, and not just because of the palpable emotion that Bush is able to imbue into the song. It’s also because Bush was able to channel those emotions in just a single go: Bush did one take of the song, and that was it. The recording for the song was mostly done in a single night, including taping the guitar solo and mixing the final track. It’s a remarkable feat of efficiency, even 35 years later. “There was no compiling,” engineer Kelly said. “We started the mix at around midnight and Kate was there the whole time, encouraging us… We got on with the job and finished at about five or six that morning.” (Tyler Golsen)
First things first: Wuthering Heights is a demented novel. If people lose their minds over Emerald Fennell’s sexed-up film adaptation, remember that Emily Brontë got there first. When she published it in 1847, under the pseudonym Ellis Bell, readers were appalled by its violence and immorality, and by the incestuous, narcissistic Cathy and Heathcliff.Fennell has taken the film in an S&M direction — a test screening featured “a bondage-tinged sexual encounter involving horse reins” — but it’s all there in the book: the floggings, the slappings, the cruelty and the shared death wish. Add a banging Charli XCX soundtrack, the Adolescence star Owen Cooper as young Heathcliff and a controversy over the leads, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi (too old, too white: Brontë’s Heathcliff is a “Gypsy beggar” and “a lascar”), and you have a hit tailor-made for the I-love-it-I-hate-it era of film consumption.The story, which is on the A-level English syllabus, is also fantastically complicated, but in a nutshell: Cathy Earnshaw’s father rescues the young Heathcliff from the streets of Liverpool and brings him to live in the family home on the Yorkshire moors. He and Cathy become close — but when they grow up Cathy is torn between Heathcliff and a more conventional life with their wealthy neighbour, Edgar Linton. After Heathcliff runs away she marries Linton; he returns three years later to seduce Linton’s sister Isabella, and all hell breaks loose: there are ghosts, howling storms, dug-up graves and murdered puppies.It’s a lot, which is what attracted the director of the equally unhinged Saltburn (remember what Barry Keoghan did with a dug-up grave). Last September Fennell told the Brontë Women’s Writing Festival that Wuthering Heights “cracked me open”: “I’ve been driven mad by this book. I know that if somebody else made it I’d be furious.” When she first saw Elordi in his Heathcliff sideburns she “wanted to scream” with excitement. (...)Despite its strangeness and deep Yorkshire roots, Brontë’s story has resonated at the level of myth — a story about crazy, stupid love that every generation wants another go at. (...)Anna Calder-Marshall was 23 when she played Cathy opposite the future 007 Timothy Dalton in the 1970 version. The film’s US producer, Louis Heyward, wanted to shake things up, telling reporters: “Olivier and Oberon portrayed him as a regular nice guy and her as sweetness and light. That was not the truth and Hollywood now goes in for the truth. Heathcliff was a bastard and Cathy a real bitch and that’s how they’ll be.” (...)What does [Peter] Bowker think Wuthering Heights is about? “If I wanted to piss everyone off, I’d say toxic masculinity. Really, it’s about a series of unfortunate men making very bad decisions, starting with Heathcliff being taken from Liverpool. It’s about class and generational pain — Heathcliff makes a decision to cause damage and sticks with it.” (...)The other star of Brontë’s book is the Yorkshire moors, lovingly shot for Arnold by her longtime cinematographer Robbie Ryan despite six weeks of unwanted sunshine. “We expected it to be miserably wet,” he says, laughing. “We needed rain for a scene where Heathcliff walks away, but the pipes froze and I had to do it with a watering can from behind the camera.” Even so, the location turned into a mudbath. “I was running around with a 35mm camera in rugby boots and a T-shirt that said There Will Be Mud.” There were animals everywhere. “Tons of dogs, tons of horses. Wuthering Heights is a love story, for sure, but it’s the environment that makes it for me — it should be a shot in the arm of nature.” (Melissa Demes)
The four-mile trail from the village of Haworth to Top Withens in West Yorkshire is well trodden; numerous footprints squelched into the boggy ground by those seeking the view said to have inspired the setting for Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights. The landscape rolls in desolate waves of brown bracken. A lone tree punctuates the scene. It’s bleakly, hauntingly beautiful.With the release of Emerald Fennell’s new film of the Gothic masterpiece starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi next week, Haworth and many of the filming locations in the Yorkshire Dales national park, where the book is set, are braced for a slew of visitors.The local residents, though, seem distinctly unfazed by the attention.“We’re used to crowds,” shrugs Craig Verity, the landlord at the Kings Arms, a pub at the top of Haworth’s steep cobbled Main Street, just steps from the parsonage where the Brontës were raised.Brontë country has been milking the connection for decades. On a wall in the Kings Arms, a board promotes a selection of Bridgehouse cask ales named Charlotte, Anne, Emily and Branwell, the latter being the lesser-known Brontë brother.In the surrounding streets, there’s the Brontë Hotel and the Brontë Bar and Restaurant, as well as – somewhat tenuously – Brontë Balti. (...)For this new film, the cast stayed at Simonstone Hall, a sumptuous country house hotel in Yorkshire Dales. It’s a 20-minute drive from here to Swaledale, where many of the scenes were shot.“They were lovely people, and brilliantly undemanding,” said the owner, Jake Dinsdale, noting that Robbie had since been back for a stay with her husband. “Although they’d booked out all 20 rooms, our restaurant was still open to the public, and the cast enjoyed being around the firepit to toast s’mores, or sitting down to a roast dinner or afternoon tea.”Haworth, pictured here, and many of the filming locations in the Yorkshire Dales national park are braced for a slew of visitors. Photograph: grough.co.uk/AlamyHis own attitude is equally relaxed. “I don’t know what the film will do,” he said. “It could all be a flash in the pan, and that’s fine. If it sticks, that’s also great. What I do know is that I won’t be renaming any rooms as ‘The Jacob Elordi Room’ or ‘The Heathcliff Room’. (...)Tony Watson, head of economy and tourism for North Yorkshire council, said: “The area has featured in so many films and series; we’re experienced in managing that. Post-Covid, we were already seeing more younger people getting outdoors and exploring the county, and this demographic will doubtless grow as the film showcases the area’s beauty and authenticity.“We’ll have to wait until the release to see whether there’s some iconic shot that people want to replicate. If there is, hopefully it will be somewhere like Aysgarth Falls, which has all of the necessary infrastructure in place – otherwise, we’ll need to suggest alternatives that don’t make mountain rescue unhappy.”Back at The Kings Arms, Jack Greatrex, who lives in the area, is sanguine. “The Brontë sisters shaped this village for future generations, and for lovers of landscape and literature,” he said. “This film could mean that they continue to do so.”Whatever effect the new film has, said Watson, they’re ready for it. “I’m the luckiest head of tourism imaginable – the film is going to do my job for me.” (Sarah Rodrigues)
The moody moorland and pretty villages of Yorkshire are the romantic backdrop of the film Wuthering Heights, which is set to be released in Australia on Thursday, February 12, 2026.Based on Emily Brontë’s novel, it stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, and is directed by Emerald Fennell.Wuthering Heights film locations are in both the Yorkshire Dales and the West Yorkshire countryside.It was filmed in Arkengarthdale, Swaledale and the village of Low Row.Yorkshire Dales National Park has a starring role.The Visit England team have come up with a two-day touring itinerary to immerse yourself in the movie, its mood and locations.There are plenty of good places to stop — Haworth, Hawes, Arkengarthdale, Low Row and Top Withens.Alongside confirmed filming locations, it includes places closely linked to Brontë’s life and the landscapes that inspired the novel. (Stephen Scourfield)
Tucked away into a corner of West Yorkshire, Top Withins stands proud against the elements it has been battered by for hundreds of years.As a self-proclaimed big fan of Wuthering Heights, I was eager to complete the pilgrimage popular with Brontë fans. Top Withins has long been rumoured to be the inspiration behind the classic novel, and it's easy to see why. Standing high on the moors, the ruined farmhouse is exposed to wind and rain, a landscape of moorland and hills surrounding it.Top Withins is a stone's throw away from Haworth, where Charlotte, Emily and Anne lived with their brother Branwell and father Patrick. The bustling village is now home to pubs, boutique shops and the Bronte Parsonage, which stands proud in front of the graveyard. (Sophie Corcoran)
Vogue publishes a Wuthering Heights-Coded Guide To Brontë Country:The team behind the venue – Writers’ Bloc – said they are inviting visitors not just to experience Haworth, but to actively contribute to its story.A spokesman said: “Founded by real-life couple and creative entrepreneurs Jamila Juma-Ware and Matthew Wignall, the space blends literature, cocktails and community under the ethos ‘come as strangers, leave as friends’.” (...)To coincide with the film’s release, Writers’ Bloc is launching a Creative Love Letter Competition, encouraging guests to write love letters to Haworth itself, which celebrate the village’s power to inspire creativity. Selected letters will be displayed in the venue, with winners receiving dinner and drinks. (Greg Wright)
Haworth is a 20-minute drive through the Pennines. At the top of its cobbled high street sits the Brontë Parsonage, the house where Charlotte, Anne and Emily lived with their brother Branwell. Nestled next door is St. Michael and All Angels Church (where their father Patrick was curate) and its deeply atmospheric graveyard. Charlotte and Emily are buried in the family vault in the church; on show inside is Charlotte’s marriage certificate; she is listed with no profession despite being renowned then as the author of Jane Eyre.
The house itself is hauntingly close to when the family were in residence. The front parlour room is laid out as if they’d just broken for tea, the small dining room table they worked at scattered with a writing block and ink, newspapers, cups and saucers. But tragedy, too, isn’t far from sight; against the wall is the sofa where Emily died from Tuberculosis, aged 30. (Victoria Moss)
I’ve been lucky enough to be given the opportunity to immerse myself deeper into the story, with a visit to a replica film set of Cathy’s Thrushcross Grange bedroom, which was used for shooting the new Wuthering Heights adaptation.It was here, in the book, where some of the biggest moments happened – particularly in the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff. (...)çIt’s a lavish, sumptuous space, with a silk canopied bed and an ornate dressing table, which encapsulates the grandeur and refinement of the Linton family’s estate, perhaps illuminating what captured Cathy’s attention as a young woman and subsequently were her reasons for marrying Linton – sealing hers and Heathcliff’s fate.In the film, the bedroom was decorated by her husband Linton, whose design choices were an ode to his wife and her untamed spirit.The room is apparently painted the exact Pantone shade of actress Robbie’s skin, with vein detailing across the wall panels which deepen as the film continues, representing Cathy’s intensity and wild nature. (Sophie Goodall)
Deutsche Welle has a ten-minute video piece about Wuthering Heights 2026 with particular emphasis in the alleged non-whiteness of Heathcliff. Among others, the video features Mithu Sanyal, author of
The wonder of it is that Wuthering Heights, which was declared to be “unquestionably and irredeemably monstrous” upon publication, exists at all, its creative origins forever obscured by the brief and enigmatic life of its author. The novel, published in 1847 under a male pen name (Ellis Bell), was written by Emily Brontë, a 27-year-old virgin so reclusive she makes Emily Dickinson seem positively sociable, who lived in a parsonage together with her gifted sisters and alcoholic brother in the tiny village of Haworth in Yorkshire, England. (...)For all its heaving drama, the plot of Wuthering Heights is remarkably simple, even primitive. It is the age-old one of a soured romance, of childhood sweethearts who are foiled by the adult reality they grow into. Boy meets girl; boy falls in love with girl; boy loses girl. And then, if the boy in question happens to be Heathcliff, with his “satanic nimbus,” as one writer put it—the romantic antihero par excellence—all hell breaks loose. (...)While watching the latest film adaptation, I kept wondering what Brontë would have made of this version of her stark, doomed story, with its graphic scenes of masturbation, B.D.S.M., and doggy-style penetration. Would she have recognized her novel at all? And what about Cathy’s outlandish, anachronistic wardrobe, replete with a red latex gown, German milkmaid corsets, and Elton John sunglasses? (...)Influenced by the aesthetics of soft porn and high fashion, this is a movie with its sights firmly fixed on Gen Z. It works, in its edgy stylistic way, and it should sell heaps of tickets. But by simplifying the arc of the original story, ending the narrative with Cathy’s death and leaving out her ghostly haunting of Heathcliff, and by making explicit what was implicit, this Wuthering Heights is, curiously, a less subversive and radical rendering of the otherworldly, inexorable desire that Emily Brontë captured almost two centuries ago. (Daphne Merkin)
Over the course of the movie, "Cathy's in her mid-20s to early 30s, which puts so much more pressure on the marriage situation," Robbie tells USA TODAY. "A bunch of people telling an 18-year-old, 'Oh, f---, you better hurry up and get married!' That doesn't really hold the same weight to a modern-day audience member."Whereas now, "particularly for women, there's suddenly this checklist that society has given you and you better have it all ticked off by the time you're 30: get married, get a house, have your career figured out, and start thinking about kids," Robbie continues. For Gen Z and millennial moviegoers, "watching an older Cathy have that pressure might carry more weight." (Patrick Ryan)
Barbie + Kim K’s gothic dress + Mills & Boon paperback = Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights
En los páramos desolados del norte de Inglaterra, donde el viento no solo azota la tierra sino también los ánimos, Emily Brontë levantó una de las novelas más inquietantes y perdurables de la literatura universal. Cumbres Borrascosas, publicada en 1847 bajo el seudónimo de Ellis Bell, sigue siendo una obra incómoda, feroz y profundamente actual, capaz de sacudir al lector incluso más de un siglo y medio después de su aparición. No es una historia pensada para tranquilizar ni para ofrecer consuelos fáciles: es, ante todo, una exploración descarnada de las pasiones humanas llevadas al extremo.La novela se desarrolla en un escenario áspero y hostil que no funciona como simple decorado, sino como una prolongación emocional de los personajes. Los páramos, el clima violento y la casa que da nombre a la obra conforman un universo cerrado, casi opresivo, donde el amor, el rencor y la obsesión crecen sin freno. Allí se forja el vínculo entre Heathcliff y Catalina Earnshaw, una relación que desafía las categorías tradicionales del romanticismo. No hay idealización ni ternura permanente: lo que los une es una fuerza primitiva, absoluta, que ignora las normas sociales, la razón y hasta los límites de la vida y la muerte. (Translation)
Michael Olivieri: Un romanzo da trasformare in balletto?Cime Tempestose di Emily Brontë. (Translation)
Postcard collector, the late Norman Ellis of Ossett enthusiastically gathered as many images of West Yorkshire as he could find.
Campaigners against proposals to build a giant windfarm on West Yorkshire moorland believe they are winning the battle – but the fight isn’t over yet.The Stop Calderdale Windfarm campaigners oppose Calderdale Energy Park proposals to put giant turbines on Walshaw Moor, above Hebden Bridge.The say in a presentation to local parish councils this month the developers revealed the have scaled back their plans for the second time.Their original proposal in September 2023 was for 65 turbines, reduced to 41 in April 2025.They have now reduced that number further to 34 after widespread criticism and public opposition, claims the campaign group.The group adds the timescale for the project has also slipped, with Statutory Public Consultation previously scheduled for January now being put back to April 2026.Despite believing it shows the developers might be on the back foot, the group warns the fight is far from over.“The developers are clearly on the defensive, but the latest proposals would still be incredibly damaging to the carbon-rich blanket peat bogs on Walshaw Moor and the endangered ground-nesting birds which breed on this internationally important Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA). (John Greenwood)
Jane EyreA sweeping, atmospheric love story that feels timelessly tender, Jane Eyre is for romantics who adore emotional intensity wrapped in quiet strength. Jane and Mr. Rochester’s bond is slow, smoldering, and full of moral complexity, the kind of love you root for even when they stumble. It’s haunting, passionate, and beautifully earnest. Every chapter feels like a heartbeat you can hear, not just read. (Simran Sukhnani)
[Valerie] Martire’s Lucy shares more in common with Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre than her original fictional counterpart. She desires for adventure and a place in society in which her knowledge and accomplishments can be celebrated, not buried under the weight of matrimony. ( Misha Davenport)
5. Hathersage, Derbyshire“High banks of moor were about me; the crag protected my head: the sky was over that.” So narrates the eponymous Jane Eyre in Charlotte Brontë’s beloved novel. Having stayed in Hathersage in 1845, Brontë set her story in the charming Hope Valley village. Also inspiring her, as per that quote, was the surrounding, brooding Dark Peak scenery, and not least Stanage Edge — a four-mile gritstone ridge that offers memorable vistas for miles. Modern-day Hathersage has a heated outdoor pool, but you may just prefer its churchyard. Little John, Robin Hood’s loyal outlaw companion, is supposedly buried here, as a gravestone attests. (Oliver Perry)
Mia and Sam are joined by THE drag queen historian Elizabeth the Thirsty.We share our love for making history fun, imagine a Brontë-themed drag show and learn about a secret language used by the Georgians...
September 19Duration: approximately 60 minutesWhat happens when six women with learning disabilities and/or autism take inspiration from Emily Brontë’s 'Wuthering Heights' and the ethereal, otherworldly energy of Kate Bush’s iconic music video? The result is 'Wuthering Heights: Cathy’s Modern Manifesto'. A ground-breaking collaboration between Mind the Gap (UK) and Teatr 21 (Poland) that redefines strength, desire, and inclusion on screen.This manifesto raises a provocative question: how do we reconcile individual desires and ambitions in a world that too often excludes? The answer unfolds in the performers’ choreography—a collective yet deeply personal expression of joy, defiance, and longing. These women are not asking for permission to take up space; they are claiming it with every step and gesture. Their movements are filled with power and intent, reclaiming their stories with a rawness and intimacy that resonate long after the final frame.Striking and unapologetic, this piece reminds us of the transformative power of truly being seen. Through hauntingly evocative imagery and fearless storytelling, the film challenges us to rethink what inclusion really means, inviting us to envision a world where every voice and body is valued.
%20(1).jpg)
September 6, 2025, 6:00 PMCenter for Inclusive Art (Teatr 21), Władysława Skoczylasa Street 10/12, WarsawDuration: 60 minutesVideo art language: Polish/English (subtitles in both languages)The video art screening will be accompanied by a short performance by actresses from Teatr 21Performance language: PolishWhat happens when six women with learning disabilities and/or autism take inspiration from Emily Brontë’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ and the ethereal, otherworldly energy of Kate Bush’s iconic music video? The result is ‘Wuthering Heights: Cathy’s Modern Manifesto’. A ground-breaking collaboration between Mind the Gap (UK) and Teatr 21 (Poland) that redefines strength, desire, and inclusion on screen.This manifesto raises a provocative question: how do we reconcile individual desires and ambitions in a world that too often excludes? The answer unfolds in the performers’ choreography—a collective yet deeply personal expression of joy, defiance, and longing. These women are not asking for permission to take up space; they are claiming it with every step and gesture. Their movements are filled with power and intent, reclaiming their stories with a rawness and intimacy that resonate long after the final frame.Striking and unapologetic, this piece reminds us of the transformative power of truly being seen. Through hauntingly evocative imagery and fearless storytelling, the film challenges us to rethink what inclusion really means, inviting us to envision a world where every voice and body is valued.Cathy/ Kate & LyricsMaja KowalczykAleksandra SkotarekJulka BaranowskaMagda ŚwiątkowskaEmily KentCharlotte JonesDirector of photography/ Editor: Wojciech KaniewskiMusic: Jez Colborne/ James HeselwoodCostumes: Wisła NiciejaCreative Enabler: Karen BartholomewDramaturgy: Justyna Lipko-KoniecznaConcept and direction: Justyna WielgusProduction: Paulina Uryszek and Emily Blackwell
Described as a "mass dance meditation" and "micro-pilgrimage," the project invites participants to engage with the moorland around Bradford through movement, imagination, and creativity. The initiative draws on research showing that imagining rhythmic movement can trigger physiological responses similar to actual dancing, allowing for inclusive participation regardless of physical ability or location. Working with access consultant Kelsie Acton, Wondering Heights emphasizes multiple pathways for participation through movement, imagination, walking, or simply engaging with the concept.
The project takes direct inspiration from Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and the Yorkshire landscape that shaped her writing. The moors around Bradford and Haworth were central to Brontë's work, serving as both setting and character in her novel. Wondering Heights aims to connect contemporary participants with this literary landscape through a dance routine inspired by Kate Bush's iconic Wuthering Heights choreography. Demo videos are available in both seated and standing versions, and free workshops are scheduled for July 5th and 23rd in Bradford.
At the center of the project is a hand-drawn map created by cartographer Chris Goddard, featuring four walking routes: Lucy's Dream (2km), a circular route near Denholme Gate designed for accessibility; Thornton Village (6.7km); Ogden Water (2.6km); and Denholme (3.4km). The map is available online and as limited-edition risograph prints from locations including the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, Bradford 2025 Ticket Office, and South Square Café in Thornton.
Participants can engage with the project in various ways, from exploring the map routes and learning the dance through online videos or workshops to sharing creative responses through an online gallery or social media using #WonderingHeights. The project actively seeks to reach those who cannot physically access the moorland and encourages flexible engagement that works for each individual's circumstances and abilities. Organizers are also looking for "Em-Bush-adors" to help spread awareness and encourage sharing the invitation with community groups and individuals who might enjoy participating.
For complete information about Wondering Heights, visit the project website or download the full PDF guide.
On Friday 20 June at 7pm, the world-famous Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne—will be celebrated in a unique performance at All Saints Parish Church. The show, “What the Brontës Did at the Fringe”, is a lively two-woman production featuring award-winning singer/songwriter Pauline Vallance and performer Jacynth Hamill.More plans for the weekend as Axios Dallas announces that this Saturday will be The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever there.
Combining original songs, a harp, humour, and what they call “a kicking bonnet,” the show explores what the Brontës might make of modern life:
What shows would they attend at the Edinburgh Fringe?
How would they handle today’s celebrity culture?
What would they make of city nightlife?
There’s even a reimagining of Patrick Brontë’s poetry through dance – a nod to the sisters’ father, who was once a curate at All Saints Church in Wellington.
The event is a fundraiser in support of the restoration of the church’s historic Grade II* listed pipe organ. Expect a warm, witty and original celebration of some of literature’s most iconic women – with a musical twist. (Andrew Beach)
Dancing the news: The Dallas Public Library is hosting the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever to recreate Kate Bush's 1978 music video.
Dancers are encouraged to don red dresses to match Bush's video attire to record the reenactment on Saturday.
What's next: The library will host a dance rehearsal at the downtown branch from 6-7:30pm Tuesday. Register by 4pm tomorrow to join.
Register for the dance by 7am Saturday. (Tasha Tsiaperas and Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi)
Literary scholar Watson explores in his vivid debut biography the mystery and sensation that surrounded Charlotte Brontë. He begins with an account of how literary London was gripped by the publication of Jane Eyre—Brontë released the book under the male pseudonym Currer Bell, but those in the know, including novelist Elizabeth Gaskell, were privy to rumors that Bell was a woman. Watson details how Gaskell ferreted out Bell’s real identity through mutual contacts and arranged a meeting with Brontë, beginning a yearslong correspondence that would prove foundational in the creation of the Brontë mystique. Piecing together letters collected from Brontë’s friends, family, and publishers, Watson deftly shows how the painfully introverted Brontë manipulated anecdotes from her “comfortless childhood” into “a story of self-justification and self-glorification honed over years.” Brontë died during a difficult pregnancy in 1855, just five years after she and Gaskell met. Her death led to a scramble among her friends to profit from their proximity to her and touched off conflicts over how best to shape the narrative of her life. Watson masterfully covers the contentious biography Gaskell wrote, which she had to rewrite twice to placate those upset about their portrayal. This fast-moving account of literary fame satisfies.
Contemporary choreography and imaginative sets make the Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre a compelling retelling of the classic love story.The ballet still feels fresh nearly a decade after it was first performed by the company in 2016.This captivating adaptation of the famous Charlotte Brontë novel combines elements of gothic mystery with romance and passion.The prologue throws the audience straight into the narrative with Jane tormented by figments of her imagination – represented by male dancers – before collapsing and being discovered by St. John Rivers.The story then takes us through Jane’s life, from her unhappy upbringing as an orphan in her wealthy aunt’s household and later as a schoolgirl enduring the rigid regime at Lowood Institution.At the end of the first act, Jane has taken a position as governess at Thornfield Hall where she meets and falls in love with her employer, Mr Rochester.The second act develops the love story between the couple – but Jane’s happiness turns to heartbreak when Mr Rochester’s wife, a mad woman who he tries to keep hidden – appears on their wedding day.In her despair, Jane flees the house and – taking the audience in full circle to the opening – she runs across the desolate moors until collapsing and being rescued by St. John Rivers.As with the novel, Jane and Mr Rochester are happily reunited in the final act.Music performed live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia - along with special effects, lighting and masterful choreography by Cathy Marston - helps the dancers to skilfully convey the story’s complex emotions. (Derin Clark)
Members of the Banagher Brontë Group were in exalted company last week when they met Queen Camilla in Yorkshire, England.James Scully and Nicola Daly of the Group travelled over for the official opening of the Brontë Birthplace in Thornton, a duty which was performed by the Queen.“Thornton is a village between Haworth and Bradford in Yorkshire,” explained James, when speaking afterwards with the Tribune. “Both Myself and Nicola were invited to attend the ceremonies (at short notice due to security surrounding the event) but we were allowed to meet the monarch at close quarters, chat with her and give a resumé of the strong association between Banagher and the Brontë family. Queen Camilla is a very keen Brontë admirer and was surprised at the detail and strength of the link between the Bells of Banagher and the Brontës of Haworth.”At the end of the official proceedings, James and Nicola presented a small sculpture to be displayed in the birthplace. The piece was designed by Helen Conneely of Celtic Roots Studio, Ballinahown, and is in bog oak depicting the ancient Irish legend of the Salmon of Knowledge.Moves are afoot to foster exchange visits between groups from Banagher and Thornton. Nigel West, a leading member of the Thornton project, has a direct genealogical link with the Bell family of Hill House in Banagher (now Charlotte’s Way B&B, run by Nicola). Nigel has been pivotal to all that has happened to date bringing the two towns closer together.The official opening took place last Thursday, May 15, 210 years after the Brontë family moved to Thornton in May 1815. The Brontë Birthplace is the house where Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne Brontë were born.The Queen was greeted at the old butcher’s shop entrance, where she was gifted a poem and posy by two children volunteers and was welcomed by current and former committee members, patrons and supporters.In the scullery, the Queen joined local school children taking part in an educational activity inspired by the “Be More Brontë” initiative. The children shared their interpretations of what it means to Be More Brontë — from being bold and creative to pushing through life’s challenges with resilience and imagination.Upstairs in “Charlotte’s Room,” which is now used as one of the building's overnight stay bedrooms, the Queen was warmly greeted by Nigel West, along with James and Nicola.Chair of the Brontë Birthplace committee, Katharine Barnett, said the house is no longer “just a place of literary history — it is a living, breathing space filled with creativity, education, and community pride.” The General Manager of the Brontë Birthplace said the committee and volunteers had “worked tirelessly to restore and reimagine the house”, and it was special to share it with the Queen, the local community and Brontë lovers. She said the historic day was made possible thanks to the generous support of Bradford City of Culture 2025, the Community Ownership Fund, the Rural England Prosperity Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund and “the passion of over 700 community shareholders, volunteers, and friends.” (Derek Fanning)
Cathy Marston’s interpretation of this well-known classic manages what might seem impossible by giving us the whole story in a performance lasting around two hours. Everything is here, from Jane’s childhood as an orphan, through her school days, and on to her relationship with Mr Rochester. Marston opts to add an extra element or two, adding to the drama on stage without tampering with the original text too much. Opening with Jane’s rescue by St John Rivers, her early life is retold as if she is relating it to the Rivers played out at the rear of the stage behind an opaque curtain to suggest that this is from Jane’s memory or dreams. The remainder of the stage is left free for the cast to interpret Jane’s early days of torment first at the hands of her Aunt and then later at Lowood School under the cruel tutelage of Brocklehurst.Complementing the sense of a woman growing in confidence but unable to break free from the conditions of the time, Marston adds a chorus of D-Men, whether demons or dream men is not clear but either would fit perfectly. As much as Jane tries to escape their confines the D-Men prevent her and drag her back in some expertly choreographed sequences, exposing Jane’s desire to break free from the social restrictions of the time whilst being inextricably bound by them, using a coterie of all male dancers for this purpose serves to make the feeling even stronger.With so much narrative to deal with it is a complement to all involved that the action doesn’t flag, the cast are superb throughout, combining athleticism, grace, muscularity and vulnerability in equal measures. The only real surprise of the first act is how quickly it passes, the dancing helped along in no small measure by the choice to perform with a small live orchestra, helping to add to the sense of immediacy and vitality of the piece. Phillip Feeney’s score provides a perfect complement to the dancing, haunting, plaintive and dramatic in equal measure a far more preferable option than recorded music.The second act opens with Jane at Thornfield Hall as we witness her feelings for Edward Rochester develop through friendship, envy of his relationship with Blanche, the discovery of the marriage to Bertha and her abandonment of Thornfield and Rochester and her subsequent rescue by Rivers.Sarah Chun as Jane is utterly believable throughout, her handling of the vulnerability, social awkwardness, growing self-confidence and her strength in rejection of Rivers’ insistent proposals are all delivered with aplomb. Capping it all though is the beautifully conveyed realisation of her true feelings for Rochester and the passion she feels for him, together with revealing a playful side with some amusing foot movements, echoing some less than subtle movements by Rochester earlier on when he is clearly trying to show Jane her place in his household.Miguel Texeira as Rochester carries just the right balance of slightly over bearing gentleman, giving way to a more vulnerable tender side when he realises Jane’s affections for him are genuine and not born from pity.The cast are impeccable for the entire performance with some very imaginative choreography particularly evident in the way characters are lifted from the floor by others, and the interlinked movements between Jane and the Rivers sisters. Special mentions should go to not just the two leads but also to Heather Lehan as the fussy Mrs Fairfax, Aerys Merrill adding some well observed childlike feeling to her portrayal of Adele, and Alessia Petrosino for her dynamic rendering of Bertha, a brooding, seething mass of madness, jealousy and rage. All three were given extra cheers by tonight’s packed house together with a long ovation for the entire cast and orchestra.With plenty to admire on a technical level as well as an entertainment one this is a performance you should not miss. (Steve Turner)
‘The Diabolical Bones’ by Bella EllisIt’s 1846, and the Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily and Anne—hear that the bones of a child have been found sealed up in the chimney of a local home. They put on their detective caps with the hopes of discovering who the child was and who was behind his or her demise. But as their investigation moves forward, the women find themselves pulled into a plot that puts their own lives in danger.What readers are saying: “One of the only successful ways I distract myself from my worries is opening up a truly captivating book, and I was intrigued that this novel focused on the famous Brontë sisters, weaving in tidbits about their lives and the era in which they lived. I enjoyed how this story gave clues into the inspiration behind Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, which is one of my favorite classics. (Carissa Mosness)
The weather and years of use have taken their toll on the 19th-century steps at St Michael and All Angels, Haworth.A section has had to be closed for safety reasons after stones at the southern end of the staircase were undermined by water.Patrick Brontë, father of the literary siblings, was vicar at the church for over 40 years and most of the family are interred there.Visitors are drawn to the site from across the world.Amongst those supporting the fundraising effort is Haworth resident Nina Illingworth.She is tackling the Yorkshire Three Peaks – taking in Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough – on Sunday, June 1, with the aim of completing the route within 12 hours.The 31-year-old is a keen hiker, but has not previously attempted a challenge on this scale.She has been training with walks in the Lake District.Nina says: "I knew that a few people at my local gym, Trax, were taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks and it occurred to me that this would be the ideal way for me to raise some funds for the Haworth church steps."I wanted to contribute because the steps are so important to my church, the community of Haworth and visitors who use them."I had my own wedding pictures taken on them, and want the steps to be kept safe and welcoming for future generations."The Rev Oli Preston, rector at St Michael and All Angels, says: "We're really grateful to Nina for taking on this amazing challenge and we are urging as many people as possible to support her."There have been minor repairs to the steps over many years but now we’ve reached the position where a bigger repair and renewal is required."We have been working with local business leaders, builders and our architect to prepare a proposal as well as engaging in a conversation with Bradford Council’s planning and conservation departments."The final estimated cost is hard to pin down as we don’t know what will be revealed once the stones are lifted, but we’re expecting a bill in the region of £30,000."We’ve already secured around £16,000 towards the project and now anything that Nina can raise through sponsorship with her Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge will be very welcome." (Alistair Shand)
Criticisms levied against the 2026 project target Fennell’s seeming disinterest in the source material. Some fans are so upset that they refuse to buy tickets. For any fan of Emily Brontë’s gothic romance, regardless of whether they intend to watch Fennell’s movie, they should check out Andrea Arnold’s 2011 adaptation, Wuthering Heights. While there have been over 20 adaptations of the novel into various mediums, no version better encapsulates the dark and moody atmosphere of the novel, nor has the willingness to go there with the taboo topics of incest and violence. Arnold’s movie has the vision and spirit of Brontë’s novel, which is not something that can be said for most other movie versions. [...]Criticisms levied against the 2026 project target Fennell’s seeming disinterest in the source material. Some fans are so upset that they refuse to buy tickets. For any fan of Emily Brontë’s gothic romance, regardless of whether they intend to watch Fennell’s movie, they should check out Andrea Arnold’s 2011 adaptation, Wuthering Heights. While there have been over 20 adaptations of the novel into various mediums, no version better encapsulates the dark and moody atmosphere of the novel, nor has the willingness to go there with the taboo topics of incest and violence. Arnold’s movie has the vision and spirit of Brontë’s novel, which is not something that can be said for most other movie versions.One of the major points of controversy surrounding Fennell’s upcoming film is the casting decisions. The casting director for Fennell’s Wuthering Heights said during a Q&A at the Sands Film Festival, “But you really don’t need to be accurate. It’s just a book…There are definitely going to be some English lit fans that are not going to be happy.” This comment was in response to the outcry over the decision to cast Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as the film’s dual leads, Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff. There’s a general discomfort over these actors being too old to play either character and a real frustration with a white actor, Elordi, being cast as a character who, in the source material, was frequently described as dark-skinned. One photograph leaked from the set even showed Elordi sporting a gold tooth. It’s hard to tell if the film is going to outright ignore the racism Heathcliff experienced in the novel or lean into harmful stereotypes.Fennell’s race-blind casting is not the only instance of this in adaptations of Wuthering Heights; in fact, Arnold’s Heathcliff is still the only movie Heathcliff to be played by actors of color. Not shrinking away from the uglier moments of racism in the book, especially from Catherine's brother, Hindley, gives necessary context to Heathcliff's character arc. Solomon Glave and James Howson play the young and adult versions of Heathcliff, opposite Shannon Beer and Skins actress Kaya Scodelario as Catherine. Shockingly, the young Glave and Beer are the standout actors for 2011’s Wuthering Heights. Their chemistry is electric, and their performances as quiet but ferocious children are tremendous. It's easy to believe their connection to each other and the moors as they race each other up tall rocks and weave between the grasses. One memorable scene sees Glave pushing Beer into mud and the two gazing at each other—a private intimacy the audience is invited into for a brief moment. There is a palpable gravitational pull between the two, an essential element for a couple that described each other as “more myself than I.”Fans of Brontë’s novel are both worried and frustrated with every new bit of news surrounding Fennell's 2026 movie. Right or not, there are countless other movie versions of Wuthering Heights to enjoy. No adaptation better captures the toxic family dynamics and gothic vibes of the novel than Arnold's 2011 Wuthering Heights. An absolutely gorgeous watch, even as one gets that nauseating discomfort watching the Earnshaws act out their nasty family drama, Wuthering Heights, while not a perfect plot recreation, perfectly translates the tone of the novel. It's a must-watch for book fans and for enthusiasts of gothic romances. (Rachael Blair Severino)
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is possibly one of the best-known stories in the English language, one of an orphan girl, growing-up under harsh conditions, who finds work as a governess, and love with her employer, Mr. Rochester. If only it were that simple. Jane is them devastated to learn that he is married and his wife still alive, if hidden away and mad.There is a lot of story, and it’s not the easiest to follow as retold in the ballet. I probably wasn’t the only one resorting to the programme to work out exactly what was going on on-stage.Having said that, Northern Ballet’s rendition of Jane Eyre was one of the most beautifully danced ballets I have seen in a long while. All the dancers were both technically and expressively excellent, with the two leads, Sarah Chun as Jane and Joseph Taylor as Mr. Rochester, particularly so. They melted and flowed around the stage with grace and perfection.The choreography, by Cathy Marston, is innovative, creative, intriguing, and challenging. A perfect combination. Every movement has place and meaning.Patrick Kinmoth’s costumes are of the period, which does mean a lot of dark colours. In contrast, his set is rather modernistic and graphic-designed. It could easily belong to another ballet. Alistair West’s lighting is dim almost throughout, an increasing trend it seems. While that may be accurate for the period, and possibly reflect the trauma and emotion of the story, a little more brightness would have been welcome. The notable exception are the fire scenes, which are aflame.Philip Feeney’s music, conducted expertly by Lauren Wasynczuk (and how nice to see the Northern Ballet Orchestra back in the pit) is interesting, tonal, and matches the choreography exceptionally well. Unfortunately, after the first half hour or so, it seemed to be on a continuous repeat loop. I longed for a more light and shade, the change of musical construct, tempo and emotion so called for by the story.But overall, an evening not to be missed for the outstanding dancing and choreography. But a little more light, please. (Nicola Claire)
Emily Brontë’s ‘To a Wreath of Snow’ is a poem of exquisite stillness and confinement, hovering at the edge where natural beauty collides with human suffering. Written during her cloistered life at Haworth, possibly imagining the emotional landscape of her imprisoned brother Branwell, the poem becomes not merely a pastoral observation but an act of imaginative survival.Let’s look at of the opening: “O transient voyager of heaven! / O silent sign of winter skies! / What adverse wind thy sail has driven / To dungeons where a prisoner lies?” Brontë immediately elevates the snow to cosmic status — it is not just weather, it is a “voyager” sailing the heavens. There’s something almost mythic, oracular, in this: the snowflake becomes a kind of messenger, something fated or fateful, not random. The tone here carries a desperate longing for meaning: the prisoner (and by extension, the speaker) cannot endure mere accident; they must believe the snow means something, that its arrival is not arbitrary but destined.Notice the strange, inverted power dynamic next: “Methinks the hands that shut the sun / So sternly from this morning’s brow / Might still their rebel task have done / And checked a thing so frail as thou.” The “hands” — faceless, brutal, monolithic — can block sunlight, can enforce isolation. But they cannot stop this delicate, fleeting snow. Here, the poem becomes not merely a meditation on nature but a quiet, defiant political fable. The instruments of authority — jailers, walls, governments, laws — can confine the body, restrict the senses, narrow the range of motion; yet they cannot perfectly seal the prisoner off from the world’s surprises, its accidents, its rebellions. The snow is a defector, slipping across borders, breaching the walls, bringing with it the chill memory of freedom.In Brontë’s psychological landscape, the self is not a fixed, stable entity. It is a shifting, flickering, fragile thing, sustained by memory, by sensation, by the capacity to imagine connection. The snow does not save the prisoner by changing the material conditions of the prison; it saves the prisoner by reactivating the idea of the free self, the wild self, the mountaineer who loves the bleak, rugged summits more fiercely than any soft, green plain.And yet, it’s bittersweet. The closing lines confess that this comfort is temporary: “That comforts me while thou art here / And will sustain when thou art gone.” There’s no illusion that the snow will last; it will melt, fade, vanish. But even its absence holds sustaining power, because it has entered the prisoner’s consciousness. Oates might call this the paradox of beauty: its transience does not weaken its impact but deepens it, embedding it more fiercely in memory.In a 21st-century world of algorithmic bombardment, political imprisonment, climate crisis, and technological isolation, ‘To a Wreath of Snow’ feels piercingly contemporary. Its vision of the imprisoned self — cut off from direct experience, yet still able to be transformed by a fleeting brush with beauty — resonates with anyone navigating mental health struggles, systemic oppression, or even the isolations of virtual life. The poem reminds us that comfort and rebellion can take delicate forms. That resistance is not always dramatic; sometimes, it is the act of recognizing beauty where none should exist, of holding onto the small, transient signs that life beyond the prison walls still matters. (Cassandra Fong)
10. Haworth, YorkshireNestled atop a Yorkshire hill, Haworth is a dream destination for bibliophiles, situated right in the throbbing heart of Brontë country. Here, amidst the hauntingly beautiful heathland that breathed life into 'Wuthering Heights', steep and cobbled lanes teem with historic bookshops, trendy boutiques, classic pubs, and cosy tea rooms, all imbued with shades of the past.Don't miss the hallowed Brontë Parsonage Museum, in the very dwelling where the literary sisters penned their renowned novels. Also beckoning visitors is the Keighley and Worth Valley Heritage Railway, enhancing the village's yesteryear allure with the echoes of steam train whistles. (Steffan Rhys and Isobel Pankhurst)
Unless explicitly said
