WUTHERING HEIGHTS till 18 October.
Birmingham.
WUTHERING HEIGHTS: Emily Bronte, adapted by April De Angelis.
Birmingham Rep: 0121 236 4455, www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
Runs: 2h 45m, one interval, till 18 October.
Review: Rod Dungate, 30 September 2008.
Grim up North.
The biggest tragedy in this production of WUTHERING HEIGHTS is the highly energetic and talented group of actors trying to breathe life into a still-born adaptation. It’s all a big disappointment.
The trouble starts with the adaptation by April De Angelis. It attempts to do a straight lift of the book into a staged performance. It clunks and clatters its way through the novel with little attempt at real performed story-telling. Swathes of direct address (however well done by Simon Coates) is not, in this day and age, good enough. Angelis seems unaware of the many ways that have been explored of theatrical-performance story-telling; it all feels so old fashioned. In fact, it reminds me of a production of JANE EYRE I ASMed on at the start of my working life – more years ago than I care to disclose.
Director, Indhu Rubasingham, has failed to find a meaningful acting style for the piece. The Gothic tone of the novel may be extremely effective on paper but it doesn’t translate into the declamatory acting-style Rubasingham has encouraged. This style just appears emptily melodramatic. Moreover, it makes for a production that pushes you away and wears you down at the same time.
Probably because Nelly and Lockwood are engaged, for the most part, in one-to-one conversation, these sections work best. Simon Coates (Lockwood) is very funny as the self-admiring London man slumming it in the Dales. Susannah York creates a beautiful Nelly; her performance always true and engaging.
Antony Bryne turns in a strong performance as Heathcliff, though lacks the magnetism the character requires. For a character that’s constantly referred to as ‘dark’ he’s strange casting which doesn’t help.
The director has mounted this production without clarity. And the mimed dogs in the first section are simply embarrassing.
Heathcliff: Antony Bryne.
Cathy / Young Catherine: Amanda Ryan.
Nelly: Susannah York.
Lockwood: Simon Coates.
Hindley / Hareton: Edmund Kingsley.
Edgar / Linton: Toby Dantzic.
Frances / Mary: Victoria Yeates.
Isabella / Zillah: Emma Noakes.
Joseph / Old Linton: David Whitworth.
Jabes Branderham / Servant / Lad: Martin Allanson.
Director: Indhu Rubasingham.
Designer: Mike Britton.
Lighting Designer: Chris Davey.
Sound Designer: Matt McKenzie.
Movement Director: Imogen Knight.
Associate Director: Neale Birch.
Dialect Coach: Neil Swain.
Fight Director: Bret Yount.
Composer: Paul Englishby.
Assistant Director: William Bowry.
2008-10-01 17:09:33