THEATRE ROYAL, GLASGOW, JUNE 5
JAYNE EYRE,
THIS avant garde interpretation of the classic Charlotte Bronte story was feisty, thoughtprovoking and very modern in its approach - in fact pretty much like the eponymous character. Jane Eyre was an early nod to feminism and while too often much is made in productions of the lead character’s devotion to the troubled Mr Rochester, this version gave a truer interpretation of the feminine struggle. In the opening moments, it may have appeared that this would be one of those all wailing, music crashing, right-on student-type interpretations which do little to tell the story and bask in the mystery of the production. But that would have been unfair. Sometimes the music did overpower the speech, however, which made following the plot more difficult than it ought to have been.
But generally it was a success. Melding blue-grass, jazz and operatic styles with more than a hunt of tribalism and modern classics like Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy or Mad About the Boy perfectly worked to capture the mood and tensions.
And while this is a period piece it is still very relevant today.
There are still struggles for women in the workplace, people are still starving and we should perhaps take heed of the words of Jane’s wise-beyond-her-years schoolfriend, Helen, that there are no wicked people, just wicked acts.
The staging was quite brilliant – set upon criss-crossed planks of wood and ladders up and down with a small group of musicians nestled under the wood.
And Nadia Clifford, aside from being a quite brilliant actress, was also as fit as Rochester’s dog, trotting up and down the ladders with boundless energy.
Nadia portrayed Jane through the years from providing the wails of the new born baby, through her young childhood at the hands of her cruel and uncaring aunt, to the schoolgirl and ultimately teacher, governess and confidante of Rochester.
Rochester’s secret wife, Bertha Mason, was played by the super-talented Melanie Marshall.
Her lines were all sung and in a variety of styles depicting her increasingly crazed moods. The lack of movement from Bertha was in marked contrast to the scurrying of the rest of the cast which, inexplicably, added to her madness.
Jane and Bertha apart, the other actors filled a variety of roles but none was as strange as Paul Mundell, who became Rochester’s faithful dog Pilot.
His mannerisms as a dog were clever and as real as any mutt you know but it still made me a bit uncomfortable.
Rochester, Tim Delap, was as commanding as the role dictates but perhaps lacked a bit of humanity.
Overall, it is a truly marvellous production which took great heed of the Bronte’s real Jane as a pioneer for women.