Laura Rocklyn as Jane Eyre. Photo by Sally Boyett.
A world premiere adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre” has taken the stage at Classic Theatre of Maryland. Written by Artistic Director Sally Boyett and Laura Rocklyn and directed by Donald Hicken, this adaptation is an intense psychological drama around a girl’s coming of age in the countryside of Victorian England. “Jane Eyre,” first published in 1847, is considered one of the earliest books written that explores moral and personal growth in a first-person narrative. It is an expansive tale that takes the heroine from the age of eight to mature womanhood, from orphan to heiress. As with most Victorian novels, the plot of “Jane Eyre” is dark with many twists, exposing political and class inequalities along the way.
…an intense psychological drama around a girl’s coming of age in the countryside of Victorian England…would make Brontë proud…
Jane, played by co-author Laura Rocklyn, adeptly manages to convey all ages of her character’s journey without aid of significant costume, makeup, or prop changes. Jane’s difficult childhood is conveyed in a few scenes. We are introduced to Jane as she is physically and verbally abused by her cousins and then by the aunt who took her in when Jane’s parents died. She is unwanted and unloved. Jane is combative and difficult when standing up for herself. Although not unjustified in her emotions, she has not learned to temper them to best survive. She is punished for her insolence by being locked in the “red room” where she thinks she hears her dead uncle. This terrifying experience forewarns the mysterious goings-on later in the play.
After an eight-year stint as a student and teacher at a school for poor girls, Jane’s journey takes her to Thornfield Hall, where she is employed as a governess. A large part of the play centers around the strange attraction between Jane Eyre and her enigmatic employer Edward Rochester, played well by Michael P. Sullivan. Rochester, at first distant and imperious, seems more quirky and needy as he becomes more familiar with Jane. His attraction to her is clear. Suffering from a lifetime of hurt, Jane is so guarded and contained within herself that she can hardly express any emotion. We share her true feelings as she expresses them in asides until later, when they burst forth like a cork from a bottle. It is not until Jane and Rochester are reunited at the end of the play that we see a true, mature woman. She is at last sure of herself, charming and playful. She has shed all of her previous trauma and misgivings, and completed her journey.
This play is made for the small stage. Gone are the sweeping cinematic vistas over the moors, the imposing Thornfield Hall, and Jane struggling through the wind and rain as she escapes Thornfield into the night. The sets are bare bones. Well-choreographed actors serve as stage crew to rearrange a few pieces of furniture and turn crates into a bed, a table, and a bench. This play would make Brontë proud with its focus on the psychological drama rather than the physical. We are privy to all of Jane’s thoughts as she struggles through her world, and we witness her growth along the way.
The costumes, designed by co-author Sally Boyett, are beautifully simple, monotone garments that do not distract from the mood or the message of the play. Many costume changes take place on stage, mostly by adding or removing shawls or hats, again emphasizing the psychological rather than physical. Designed by Juan Juarez, the lighting sets the dark mood and adds to the mystique of Thornfield hall.
Rochester’s often-heard, but rarely seen, woman-in-the-attic is beautifully played by Jacey Schult. Veteran CTM actors Dexter Hammett and John Pruessner add richness to the fabric of this drama in their many parts. Nancy Krebs is great on stage in several parts as well, but also as voice and dialect coach who makes everything sound oh-so British.
Running Time: Two hours with one 15-minute intermission.
“Jane Eyre” runs through February 25, 2024 at Classic Theatre of Maryland, 1804 West Street, Suite 200, Annapolis, MD 21401. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at 410-280-1773, email: BoxOffice@classictheatremaryland.org, or go online.
