Review: Jane Eyre, Rose Theatre

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A brooding Brontë is just the thing for an autumn evening, and this latest revival of Charlotte’s Jane Eyre hits the spot with its atmospheric staging. It’s suitably gothic, for sure, but with a modern update. The minimalist set is nothing more than a stack of black bleachers with large speakers on the steps.

Jane enters, there’s a cruel aunt, as all good gothic stories should have, and a red room where Jane is locked up as punishment after a fight with her mean relatives. She’s sent off to school – also mean, with a sadistic teacher… So far, so cheerful. Don’t come for the laughs.

Jane becomes a teacher, and her days play out in a repetitive cycle. Wanting more, she becomes a governess. Some Brontë essentials come into play – a grand yet fading country manor, a mysterious owner and strange laughter at night. The fog machine rolls… the master of the house, Mr Rochester, returns, and an odd relationship blossoms between them. It could all end happily ever after, but this is a Brontë, after all, and soon secrets are revealed that look set to ruin any chance of happiness for ill-fated Jane. In case you don’t know the story, I’ll stop there.

Here, it’s all done in a highly stylised way. The actors play several characters: we see them as young pupils, clergymen, teachers and servants. At one point, they brilliantly march in unison under dramatic monochrome lighting.

The stage changes little – there are the bleachers and then the attic, with the set rotated by the actors. But the way these elements are used is incredible – there’s a striking scene featuring Jane’s bridal veil flowing down the stairs. At one point, the stairs are alight. The speakers glow to reflect the mood, with Jane’s inner monologue projected through them.

Olivia Marcus plays Jane Eyre as a down-to-earth Yorkshire woman, all too aware of her plainness. Gabriel Akuwudike makes a commanding Edward Rochester, while Robyn Rose-Li, as Bertha, is mesmerising to watch as she sings, cries and laughs manically in the attic. However, this Victorian portrayal of mental illness is uncomfortable through a modern lens.

The first 20 minutes of the show feel rather long – Jane’s miserable life on repeat could have been condensed. But then the pace really picks up. The staging is incredible, and the music works well. At a couple of points, I couldn’t quite hear the dialogue, but it’s a minor point.

It’s certainly the year for a Brontë revival, with Emily’s Wuthering Heights taking the box office by storm. Now it’s Charlotte’s turn, with two major theatrical productions of Jane Eyre running. This version makes a compelling case for revisiting the classics, pairing gothic gloom and dark secrets with bold, inventive theatre

• A Rose Theatre, Mercury Theatre Colchester, and Storyhouse Chester production in association with Northern Stage and supported by a grant from The Royal Theatrical Support Trust. Based on Sally Cookson, Mike Akers and the Original Company’s adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s novel. Directed by 2025 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award-winner Lily Dyble

Rose Theatre until 24 October

www.rosetheatre.org