REVIEW: WUTHERING HEIGHTS @ CROSSRAIL PLACE ROOFTOP GARDENS

🎭 Wuthering Heights

📍 Crossrail Place Rooftop Gardens, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AB

🗓 Wednesday 24 July 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A PERFORMANCE OF PASSION IN ALL ITS FORMS

As I made my way through along the winding path at Crossrail Place Rooptop Gardens, the leafy canopy over my head, I was intrigued about what Midnight Circle Productions performance of WUTHERING HEIGHTS would offer. 

It’s been a while since I’ve read Emily Brontë’s novel, but the play seemed to me to be quite a traditional retelling of the story – with a few subtle changes and omissions from the original. In the beginning, we’re introduced to a young boy and girl teasing one another and frolicking about. We later find out this is Cathy’s daughter, Catherine, and Hindley’s son, Hareton.

The duo taunt Mr Lockwood, who arrives at Wuthering Heights on his way to rent Thrushcross Grange. Intrigued about his troubled new landlord, Lockwood asks the servant Nelly Dean about his story. And for the next two hours or so we’re then taken back in time, as the ups and downs (mainly downs) of Cathy and Heathcliff’s passionate love story unfold before us. 

It was clear very early on that this is a very talented ensemble, and each brought their character to life in a way that does Emily Brontë’s writing justice. The violent scenes and moments of anguish and despair –particularly from Heathcliff and Hindley – were particularly memorable for me. Both Renny Mendoza and Oscar Mackie, who play Heathcliff and Hindley, respectively, really give it their all in these scenes. In the accompanying programme, director Nicholas Benjamin describes Brontë’s novel as a ‘story of passion’. And passion, in all its forms, is central to his adaptation.

Everything Heathcliff does, he does it with passion. One of my favourite scenes isn’t an obvious choice. It’s when Cathy is talking to Nelly about her decision to marry Edgar Linton and Heathcliff is stood listening in. Mendoza’s facial expression conveys his hurt, jealousy and pain beautifully, and it stuck with me. It also reflected how closely these actors had engaged with Brontë’s text.

I also particularly liked how the scenes where Cathy is a ghost are curated. Cathy stalks on stage, cloaked in a sheer white cloth and a rope around her waist, which is held back by the other cast members. It seems to be the only thing holding her back from crossing the threshold into the human world. These eerie scenes are accompanied by a loud drum and taunting whispers from the rest of the cast – only adding to the tension. 

This tension was unfortunately broken at times by the people walking on the public paths either side of the stage. This was no fault of the actors, of course, but it was a little distracting and wasn’t ideal for such an intense and serious play. The company are touring other outdoor venues, some that are perhaps more suited to the story and its spooky themes. I’d definitely be up for seeing this performance again at a different venue.

Overall, I was very impressed by this retelling and how Midnight Circle Productions translated it from page to stage, and I’d recommend any fans of the tale or the Brontë sisters go and check it out! Click here for details of upcoming performances.

Estelle Luck

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one reviewer.  

My ticket for this performance of Wuthering Heights was gifted by Midnight Circle Productions who invited me to watch the show on behalf of Pink Prince Theatre in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given. 

CAST LIST:

Renny Mendoza as Heathcliff; Niamh Handley-Vaughan as Cathy Earnshaw; Miles Blanch as Edgar Linton; Nadia Lamin as Isabella Linton; Jacqueline Johnson as Nelly Deal; Oscar Mackie as Hindley Earnshaw; Nicholas Benjamin as Mr Lockwood; Lara Deering as Cathy Linton; Sam Bird as Hareton Earnshaw

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours, including interval