Review: JANE EYRE at Ottawa Little Theatre

The Ottawa Little Theatre knows how to set the stage for spooky season in the city by selecting a play that falls into the realm of the macabre. This year, OLT chose Charlotte Brontë's gothic romance, Jane Eyre, as its Halloween offering. Adapted for the stage by Erin Shields, this version of the literary classic focuses less on the romance between Jane (Lauren Reisig) and Rochester (Josh Sparks), and more on Jane's intellect, confidence, and free spirit in the face of disparagement and despair.

Jane is a lonely child (young Jane played by Meara Gordon). Brought up by her cruel aunt (Erin Hetherington), Jane is tormented by her cousins (Sierra Sparks, Aili McNamara-Kilian, Jorge Corichi Herrejón) before she is shipped off to a school that, despite some of the teachers’ best intentions, is woefully underfunded and run by a religious zealot (Thomas Jestin) that believes Jane has an evil disposition. Despite this less-than-ideal upbringing, Jane emerges as a well-educated, headstrong woman, determined to make her own way in the world. Jane becomes governess to Adèle (Geneviève Audet) at Thornfield Hall, where she finally begins to feel like she belongs. When Adèle’s guardian, Edward Rochester, meets Jane, he is immediately spellbound and invites her to sit with him in the evenings after her daily duties are done. Despite the difference in their station, Rochester treats Jane as his equal, and the two quickly develop a deep attachment. Meanwhile, strange sounds coming from the upper floors of Thornfield are dismissed as meaningless.

Just as things start to feel as though they are falling into place for Jane, her happiness crumbles and things that should not have been dismissed so lightly now come to the forefront.

This set, designed by Lindsay Laviolette and Venetia Lawless, is more stripped down than is common for OLT these days. The stage contains a large staircase with an open platform representing the upstairs portion of the house; the far right and left areas are also used to extend the space into a bedroom on one side and an outdoor area on the other. Because the staging is so open and scaled down, it leaves much to the imagination; however, since there are multiple locations in the story, this is a logical way to ensure that the narrative can flow without the need for elaborate sets. Even though I understand why the designers took this route, I still lament the missed opportunity to create a lavish, gothic estate.

Dawn Fanjoy’s costumes are period appropriate, and I particularly enjoyed young Jane’s quick change into a pinafore when she left for school. The use of a puppet, designed by Chelsey Prince and Damian Piper to represent Rochester’s dog, Pilot (puppeteered by Prince and Gabrielle Dumonceaux), is unique, even though the dog’s role is limited. Some microphones seemed underpowered on opening night, making certain cast members difficult to understand. This was especially true with Gordon’s singing voice. Hopefully, mics will be adjusted in future performances, and this will not be an ongoing issue. The sound of horse hooves is cleverly paired with a wheeled stagecoach prop, creating a convincing illusion without causing any noticeable disruption to the set (sound design by Jana van Wyk). Roxane Boucher’s lighting design is also highly effective, especially when combined with the boom of clapping thunder to set the scene. Scene changes done after the lights have faded allow them to be accomplished seamlessly.

There are many characters in Jane Eyre and as a result, there are multiple double and even triple roles; but because of the story’s distinct chronology, aided by good direction (Lindsay Laviolette), the audience is never in doubt as to who is who.

Despite their obvious acting abilities, the chemistry between Sparks and Reisig was a bit stiff on opening night, but it did warm up as the show progressed. Conversely, the chemistry between Reisig and Herrejón, who portrayed St. John, a competitor for Jane’s affection, was immediately apparent.

Although not without its flaws, Jane Eyre is a well-executed play that provides an appropriately spooky vibe for this Halloween season. The decision to keep the feminist dimensions of Jane's character at the forefront helps the story remain engaging for modern audiences, as well as literature aficionados.

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