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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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Jane still has a tale to tell
The trials of being a governess as Jane is looked down upon by snobbish visitors to Thornfield Hall. Pictures: Max Bywater Jane Eyre Dudley Little Theatre Netherton Arts Centre **** WHEN you stage such a well-known and much
loved story as Jane Eyre you have to get it right and by and large
Dudley Little Theatre's excellent company managed just that. It is a sweeping novel
and demands a big cast and even doubling up in 14 of the 28 roles it
still needed a company of 21 to pull it off – and pull it off they did
which is a testament to the direction of producer/director Andrew Rock. Staging was minimal with just a few chairs, a
couple of chaise longues and a balcony on a black box stage to give us
Jane's childhood with the Reeds at Gateshead Hall, her miserable
schooling at Lowood, where she eventually becomes a teacher, the village
and home of missionary bound St John Rivers and the focus of the novel,
Thornfield Hall. A whole Victorian world created in little more than
imagination, and it worked well, aided by costumes with a look of
authenticity from wardrobe mistress Hannah Gulliford. Jane Williams as the title character is superb,
starting with her unhappy start in life as an orphan – and if one is
honest, as a bit of a whining schoolgirl through to adulthood – if her
late teens can be seen as that. She never seemed to put a foot wrong whether
showing compassion comforting the dying Helen (Claire Hetherington), her
first friend at Lowood, or anger and passion when she discovers Edward
Rochester was already married as she stood by his side at the altar Admittedly his wife Bertha (Georgia Instone),
was as mad as a whole factory of hatters and was locked in an attic
looked after by her minder Grace Poole (Chris Ridgeway) - but she is
still Mrs Rochester.. Gareth May as Rochester looks the part and makes
a decent fist of a role played in the past by the likes of Orson Welles,
Stanley Baker, Timothy Dalton and George C Scott. The whole play depends entirely on Jane and
Rochester and Williams and May made the couple believable.
There was good support from the large cast such
as John Lucock as the self-righteous clergyman Mr Brocklehurst, cruel
head of Lowood, Frank Martino as Mason, Rochester's Brother-in-law who
stops the marriage to Jane and Ben Savage as the rather wimpy would-be
missionary St John Rivers. Jenny Pearson manages to be both the cruel Mrs
Reed in Jane's early childhood and the kindly Leah at Thornfield Hall. The smaller parts were excellently rehearsed,
weaving intricate patterns as they moved chairs and scenery around
and acted almost as a Greek chorus, reciting Jane's words or filling in
the gaps in narrative. It was a most effective piece of staging. The biggest gap in narrative is the fire at
Thornfield Hall. We had a hint of it when Bertha set Rochester's bed
alight - with a red gel and a little smoke providing the effects. But to burn down a complete hall, including
Bertha's leap to death with blazing hair and Rochester's dramatic
attempted rooftop rescue driven back by the flames, might just have
stretched the budget to the point where the treasurer joined Bertha in
leaping from the battlements. So the scene was missed out and we only hear of
the tragedy and then see Jane rush back to her Rochester, who might have
lost a hand and be blind but at least he is free to marry. And that probably worked better than trying to
renact a fire. Audiences have a much better imagination than special
effects on a limited budge can achieve. There is room for improvement though. This
version, adapted by Willis Hall from Charlotte Brontë's
novel, is a tad too long at two and three quarter hours - the chairs at
Netherton Arts Centre are not that comfortable so, if the licence
allows, some judicious pruning might be in order. It also lacks a little pace, particularly in the
second half. There will be a natural quickening which comes with
confidence in performance but making things a little slicker would
not go amiss. It is a difficult play to stage – to find 21
actors, nine men and 12 women is a triumph in itself – but Dudley have
managed it in some considerable style in a production which has both
charm and conviction and due respect for a 166 year old pillar of the
literary establisment. To 09-03-13 Roger Clarke |
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