Review of Hull Truck Theatre's production of Jane Eyre at Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

A simple stage set comprising chairs and luggage trunks and strewn with books provided the setting for Hull Truck Theatre’s fairly sparse production of Jane Eyre.

The props helped capture elements of Jane’s background - her love of books, thirst for knowledge and rather rootless upbringing.

Passionate Jane, desperate to experience more of life, leaves her job as a schoolteacher in a rural area and heads to mysterious Thornfield Hall to be a governess.

Here she meets - and falls in love with - the seemingly arrogant Mr Rochester, whose bluff nature hides a terrible secret.

Just three actors took on the various roles in Charlotte Bronte’s novel.

The play concentrated on events at Thornfield, dispensing with Jane’s troubled schooldays.

Although well acted throughout, the first half, with narrative events regularly told through Jane directly addressing the audience, was rather ‘wordy’ and demanded much concentration.

The second half had more ‘flow’ and I particularly enjoyed the section involving Jane’s time at the Rivers’ home and the rather detached wooing of her by her clergyman cousin, St John.

Overall this was an entertaining and sound retelling of the classic novel but, perhaps, rather one-paced and lacking the wow factor.