Review: BRONTË is a Compelling Night of Theatre

Fewer literary icons mystify the imagination than the Brontë sisters. Renowned for their moody, evocative fiction and known for their isolated upbringings and spinster reputations, the authors remain shrouded in mystery two centuries after their deaths. How did Charlotte, Emily, and Anne produce classics such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall when their own lives lacked such romance? This question is explored in Brontë, an emotionally fraught play by Polly Teale and the latest production at The University of Alberta's Timms Centre for the Arts.

It is 1845, and the audience is immersed in the claustrophobic Brontë manor. The austere setting is brought to life by Robert Shannon's minimalist staging and haunting lighting design while the few props include a glowing stove and kitchen table and chairs. The eldest sister, Charlotte (Jessy Ardern) is an almost maternal figure to her siblings Emily (Heeyun Park), Anne (Donna-Leny Hansen), and Branwell (David Woroner). Though the four enjoy plenty of mischievous childhood antics, the shadow of the outside world grows longer by the day. As illness runs rampant through the nearby village and the family's debts climb, the siblings channel their fears and hopes into their respective manuscripts. Charlotte devotes herself to Jane Eyre, Anne to The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, and Emily to Wuthering Heights.

As the play progresses, some of the sisters' most assertive novel study characters join them. Bertha Mason (Karen Gomez) prowls circles around Charlotte while Arthur Huntington (David Woroner) jeers at a frightened Anne. The interactions between a heartbroken Catherine Earnshaw (Kristin Unruh) and comforting Emily are among the show's most poignant scenes. At the same time, Branwell's failing literary career and discovered affair leaves him saddled with debts and frequent drunken rages. Meanwhile, the siblings' father, Patrick (Michael Peng), is often absent due to comforting his dying parishioners, increasing the show's foreboding atmosphere. Each performer is impeccably cast and arresting to watch as they cast light on their characters' complex hopes and dreams.

Under the direction of Amanda Goldberg, everything from Rebecca Cypher's Victorian-era costumes to the Brontës' Yorkshire brogues are vividly brought to life. The only holes in this moody period piece are the modern musical interludes, many of which dampen the dramatic tension of preceding scenes. Despite these fleeting moments, Brontë provides the audience with glimpses into Charlotte, Anne, and Emily's worlds while challenging our assumptions about these profound women.

Brontë plays the Timms Centre for the Arts until May 21. Masks are mandatory for all audience members.

Photo Credit: The University of Alberta's Faculty of Arts