Review by Grace Swadling
In the heart of the CBD lies a beautiful old church that dates back to 1868. For over 70 years the Genesian Theatre has been operating out of this historic place, which served as both a church and a poor school until 1932 when it first became a theatre. It is only fitting then, that one of the last opening nights at The Genesian was for the tale of ‘Jane Eyre’, Charlotte Bronte’s famously “small, poor and plain” yet passionate, intelligent and morally righteous protagonist.
Director Ali Bendall has created a production that celebrates the historic nature of the original novel whilst bringing this into a modern world; utilizing fourth wall breaks and addressing the audience as “Dear Readers” to really draw audiences into Jane’s perspective. Whilst not all parts of Bronte’s original novel will resonate with modern audiences, the spirit of Jane and her resilience, independence and compassion shines through. Orphaned as a baby, we follow our narrator Jane as she struggles through her loveless childhood, her time at Lowood School - an institution for orphans - and the death of her young friend, before she sets off in the world to become a governess at Thornfield Hall. It is here where she learns how to love and begins to truly live…but mystery shrouds the hallways of Thornfield Manor, threatening to undo both Jane and the man she grows to love.
Kyra Belford-Thomas was completely engaging as the titular Jane, able to spout off reels of dialogue and move seamlessly between Jane’s addresses to the audience of her inner thoughts. She did a magnificent job of playing Jane as a child and then transitioning to an adult Jane, retaining her youthful spirit and passion which was then carried throughout the entire show.
For me personally, I would have preferred some cuts to the first half of the production, as the energy and tension of the piece really clicked when Mr Rochestor appeared and he and Jane began facing off. Vincent Andriano was a clear standout as the compelling yet brooding Mr Rochester. Andriano has an incredible stage presence as well as a lovely emotional range and he perfectly embodied the peculiar, dark charm of Thornfield’s master. Andriano and Belford-Thomas’ chemistry was another highlight of the production, wherein you found yourself rooting for them, despite all the darkness lurking within Thornfield.
The ensemble perfectly rounded out the production; the sheer size of the cast was most apparent in the orphanage scenes and overall each actor inhabited all the characters of Jane’s world with enthusiasm and commitment. Jenny Jacobs was a joy to watch as Mrs Fairfax, as was Rhiannon Jean as Bertha, who managed to capture the sinister yet heart-wrenching nature of Rochestor’s secret wife, before doubling as the utterly compelling yet utterly odious Blanche Ingram.
Despite having a 3 hour run time, I must admit the pacing of the production worked well and the energy of the actors meant that it never felt like it dragged too long. There were a few clunky moments of staging; however for the most part Bendall utilized every inch of the Genesian available to the actors in creative and imaginative ways. Trap doors, hidden doors, actors coming out into the audience, playing with staging where the ensemble's hands became a bookcase - all these elements worked to create an entirely immersive and engaging production.
The set itself was completely paired back and Tom Fahy’s set design worked well to both emphasize the starkness of the Victorian era and to draw attention to the architectural elements of the theatre itself. For a play so deeply rooted in religious imagery and religious morals, it was a really clever choice to highlight and draw attention to the architecture of the church as almost a character of the play. Instead of hiding the stained glass windows, these become a focal point of the production, ever looming and used to represent a variety of moods. This worked in tandem with Cian Bryne’s lighting design, which, despite a few interesting choices, perfectly conveyed moments of tension and also moments of peace - playing directly into the Gothic horror nature of the story. One of the loveliest moments was when sunset came through the stained glass to bathe Jane and Rochester in its glow.
In fact, all the production elements worked closely to create the world of ‘Jane Eyre’ and all the creative team should be commended, with a special mention to Susan Carveth’s costume design. Some of the music choices seemed at odds with the time period/overall mood of the piece but these moments were mostly in the first act. The final moments of the play are completely joyful and bubbling with delight, as the characters break free from the darkness of the Gothic horror genre and Jane is finally “rewarded” for her years of suffering and her dedication to holding fast to her morals.
The Genesian Theatre Company celebrates their 80th year as a company in 2024 and what better way to celebrate than with an engaging take on a classic gothic novel, “complete with romance, mystery and a Janean sprinkle of wit.”
Image Credit: Luke Holland, LSH Media
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