Jane Eyre - A Powerful Adaptation at the Attic Theatre

Charlotte Dodd, Julia Bentley and Melanie Revill. Photo by Andrew Maguire.

Jane Eyre performed by Tread the Boards at The Attic Theatre, Stratford, from 14 – 29  September.

Review by Charles Essex

This powerful adaptation of this Brontë classic kept a full house enthralled at the Attic Theatre.

With this performance of Jane Eyre Tread the Boards (TTB) show their versatility and refusal to be typecast after recent productions of Noël Coward’s Private Lives and a comedic Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Adapted by Catherine Prout and directed by Alexandra Whitworth, six actors portrayed the realities of transition from childhood to young adulthood in the early 19th Century for a female in impoverished circumstances.  In the opening scenes Jane (Charlotte Dodd) was violently assaulted as a 10-year-old by her cousin John (George Ormerod) in a way rarely if ever portrayed in productions of this or other Brontë stories. The emotional and physical abuse of Jane was both shocking and powerful.

Jane Eyre (Charlotte Dodd). Photo by Andrew Maguire.

Charlotte was ideally cast as an ingenue who, with wonderful emotive facial expressions, refused to be cowed by mistreatment at home and then at boarding school.  As she matured into a young woman, albeit only 18 years old, Charlotte depicted Jane’s kindness, patience and ultimately forgiveness as Life dealt her repeated knock-backs.  Her performance throughout was first class.  She maintained a good northern accent. 

Julia Bentley took four parts.  She was sickly as tuberculous Helen but bounced back as lively Adele with an excellent French accent.  This contrasted with posh and aloof Bertha and the mad Blanche. Her superb performance contrasted each role to the extent that each could have been four different actors.

David Shears. Photo by Andrew Maguire.

Mr Rochester’s character could have been one-dimensional, but David Shears gave him a depth ranging from aloofness and conceit to vulnerability and neediness.  The developing affection leading to deep love between Rochester and Jane was entirely believable. 

The smaller roles were also performed with strong characterisation and all the cast did well.  The sombre and emotive music was an ideal accompaniment to the performance.  Simple scene changes of a couple of chairs or a box converted into a bed were all that were needed to take us from drawing rooms to bedrooms.

This TTB production was a wonderful tribute to this popular and timeless Brontë classic.

Tickets from www.theattictheatre.co.uk