Review: THORNFIELD at ZOOM SHAKESPEARE PRODUCTIONS
A beautiful adaptation of Jane Eyre hits the MATCH!
When you hear that Andrew Roblyer is going to direct Rebecca Bernstein in an adaptation of one of your favorite gothic romances, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, you immediately buy tickets. And at a very full Sunday matinee on a stormy September afternoon for Thornfield, adapted by Tanya Terry, you will not be alone. This is one of those “can’t miss” moments for fans of the novel, and we are legion. Zoom Shakespeare Productions presents a live experience at the MATCH that is not on Zoom and is not written by the Bard, but rather the Brontë. This production mixes movement, projections, and a contemporary cast, presenting a classical tale about a woman convinced that her life belongs to her. Jane had a modern sensibility when she debuted on the page in 1847, and scandalously wanted work, intellectual freedom, emotional fulfillment, love, dignity, and autonomy. The sad thing is the tale still feels a bit revolutionary, and leave it to Andrew Roblyer to give it a current-minded view. Thornfield is a wonderfully faithful adaptation with very unique theatrical twists that are hallmarks of the director.
If you don’t know the narrative of Jane Eyre, it’s a challenge to summarize. The novel is five hundred pages of twisting fate for one woman as she grows up poor, becomes a governess at a decidedly ominous estate, falls in love with its owner, almost marries him, discovers a shocking secret, runs away to be poor again, gains wealth, considers a loveless marriage, and ultimately makes a decision to follow her heart to a winsome ending that feels hopelessly romantic. Tanya Terry adapted this work first for Zoom Shakespeare Productions, when they were online and had completed all of William’s writings. Six years later, the company has decided to move it on to the stage with a high concept production starring the company’s founder and artistic director, Rebecca Bernstein. Tanya Terry’s adaptation feels a lot like a Shakespeare play in that it is word-heavy, well over three hours long, and a pretty faithful adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s novel for the most part. She is reveling in the text, and fans will note that almost every section of the book is present and played out. It allows for long, languid exchanges between Jane and Rochester and, at some points, suitably quotes the book precisely.
Rebecca Bernstein makes for an incredible Jane Eyre. She dampens down both her looks and frenetic energy to become the staid and stubborn classical heroine. She is onstage for most of the moments of the three-hour running time, and yet she never once runs out of steam or feels strained. It’s a tour de force performance, and one that Rebecca seems born to play. I loved every second of her take of this character, and it felt faithful to the written version in a loving way. Victoria Camille plays Jane’s “inner world” or “artistry” through dance and movement, and that is affecting and delightful to watch. She’s a strong dancer and a charismatic counterpoint to the reserved Jane. Luke Hales makes for a loveable Rochester and gives the book’s romantic lead a sturdy, grounded presence that can at times feel fanciful. He’s what you want for a gothic romantic lead. He is swoon-worthy.
The challenge for the rest of the company is that they are all double-, triple-, and quadruple-cast as any number of characters from the novel. They do a good job of delineating this, but I did detect that some audience members unfamiliar with the novel needed help to realize the connections (husbands were consulting their wives throughout). Elyssa Armenta, Ruairi Banks, Terri Branda, Cortney Hafner, and Rossi Rodriguez all do solid work throughout the story. Todd Thigpen makes for a marvelous Mason, and his attempt at wooing Jane into an “all-business” sort of marriage is one of the show’s strongest scenes. Wayne Wilden and Carissa Wonder get the flashiest character bits, and they both do wonderful jobs becoming larger than life for their respective scenes. Both actors have cinematic faces that delighted the audience and punctuated every bit they pulled.
The direction and delivery of the script has a modern take, thanks to director Andrew Roblyer and Assistant Director DeShae LaShawn. They incorporate movement and projections into a production that looks as if it were hand-drawn by Jane (real furniture painted by Mandy Mershon). The screens allow the tale to shift locales, and the minimal set is used ingeniously to become whatever it needs to be. Adding in the dance elements is strongest at the start, but it is nice to have them present throughout. I just wish this part of the show were given as strong a climax as the actors were given. This element fades as we go. The acting all around is top-notch, and Roblyer’s handling of it is unmatched as they draw out unique performances from a diverse cast. Whoever decided to engage them with this piece had a genius stroke. They inject a certain energy into all of the scenes and bring the dialogue to life. Mariah Harmony’s costume work is sumptuous, and Jade Chang handles the lights and projections masterfully.
Thornfield is a delightfully well-directed, well-acted, and well-executed adaptation of Jane Eyre. All the elements are there to make a wonderfully realized gothic romance, and some new flourishes will greet audiences as well. It is painstakingly faithful to the book, save for some extra beats that make Jane a more modern-minded woman. Rebecca Bernstein’s performance is wonderful and a career-high for her so far. Luke Hales is the right Rochester, and Todd Thigpen is a delicious Mason. The only quibble I have is that Tanya Terry’s script loves the source so much that I am not sure it knows where to trim for theatrical timing. Fans of the book will love the attention to detail, but I fear less literary folks may find it runs long. It’s certainly a lot at about three and a half hours in length, but when you have something this exquisite, you don’t mind as much. Jane’s road to real romance is worth the wait. Reader, I married this show.
Thornfield is playing at the MATCH through September 13th. Be aware that the show runs over three and a half hours and is in Matchbox 1, which has the best air conditioning (a sweater may be advised). The on-site concessions bar does sell coffee, and there is a gothic and charming coffee shop and bar named Double Trouble down the street, complete with skeletal remains of mermaids to get you in the mood.
Photo of the cast provided by Pin Lim
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