If you’re a Jane Eyre aficionado, you need to see the theatrical staging of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel that opened last evening at the Cincinnati Playhouse. Under the firm directorial hand of KJ Sanchez (read my Curtain Call column about her in this week’s CityBeat), Polly Teale’s unusual 1998 adaptation is a fascinating performance. I must qualify my recommendation, however, to say that if you don’t know Brontë’s novel, you should at least read a synopsis before you go to the show, which runs through April 8. This is a very impressionistic rendering, delivered by a cast of 10, a half-dozen of whom cartwheel through multiple roles.
Margaret Ivey is striking and extremely watchable as earnest, forthright Jane, never backing away from speaking her mind even when her honesty leads to scorn, abuse and unhappiness. (Ivey is a product of the Playhouse’s Bruce E. Coyle Acting Internship Program; last fall she appeared in Ensemble Theatre’s The Legend of Georgia McBride. I saw her in two memorable leading roles at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival in Shepherdstown, W.Va., last July.) She’s paired with Michael Sharon as the brooding, contradictory Rochester.
Rin Allen plays Bertha, a madwoman imprisoned in the attic of Thornfield, Rochester’s estate, but she’s also Jane’s passionate, chaotic alter ego. Bertha’s emotions are conveyed through movement rather than words, and it’s obvious that Allen is an experienced dancer. That’s also true of Rebecca Hirota, who plays (among several roles) Rochester’s antic ward Adele, a child who chatters in French and English and rockets around the stage as governess Jane tries to impose some discipline. The story is set in the Victorian era, but this Playhouse production is stark and modern, focusing on words and actions more than recreating the moors and musty manses of Northern England. Jane Eyre is a riveting, heady production, but you’ll enjoy it more if you review the basics of Brontë’s narrative before attending. Tickets: 513-421-3888.
CityBeat’s Erica Reid gives Know Theatre’s Heavier Than… a Critic’s Pick. As “a dyed-in-the-wool mythology nerd,” she appreciated playwright Steve Yockey’s modern take on the tale of the Minotaur, the monster in the Labyrinth. He’s played as a lonely young man about to turn 30. “He sports a gorgeously crafted set of horns,” Reid writes, “but otherwise does not look so different from the rest of us. It is the heart of the Minotaur that is the heart of this story.” Through April 1. Tickets: 513-300-5669.
Covedale Center’s Leading Ladies by comic playwright Ken Ludwig offers up a pair of down-on-their-luck Shakespearean actors who pose as nieces of a recently deceased wealthy woman scheming to snag an inheritance. Through April 2. Tickets: 513-241-6550.
And some good news from Cincinnati Landmark Productions, the operator of the Covedale and the Incline: On March 16, CLP announced a merger with Madcap Puppets, another West Side arts organization. Their coming together makes possible a long-awaited puppet and education center in Westwood, expanding CLP’s footprint to another West Side neighborhood.
A week away, but worth noting: On Friday, March 24, the Carnegie’s production of the very tongue-in-cheek show Disenchanted — in which a clutch of fairy tale princesses come together to dis happily-ever-after — is available in a pay-what-you-can preview. It’s a benefit for GLSEN, the Cincinnati chapter of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. (Leave the kids at home; this is grown-up comedy.) Information: 859-957-1940.
Rick Pender’s STAGE DOOR blog appears here every Friday. Find more theater reviews and feature stories here.
This article appears in Mar 15-22, 2017.
