Review: Brontë (Promethean Theatre Ensemble)

  
  

  
Brontë

Written by Polly Teale
Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport (map)
thru Feb 7  |  tix: $14-$24  | more info
  
Check for half-price tickets  
  

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Hauntingly beautiful literary work

Promethean Theatre Ensemble presents

Brontë

Review by Lauren Whalen 

The Brontë sisters never had it easy. As they tell us at the beginning of Brontë, they are preacher’s daughters who aren’t quite beautiful (therefore marriage prospects are nonexistent), don’t love children (which limits their job prospects to zero) and live within very limited means on the English moors, far away from cosmopolitan London. However, Charlotte, Emily and Anne do have advantages: a father who believes everyone should read and write, a smart and funny brother with a bright future, and each other. Though their relationships are complex as only sisters’ can be, the Brontës share a common goal: to write, as an escape from an otherwise dull and hopeless life. Polly Teale’s Brontë is a magnificent ode to the three women who quietly but surely broke literary ground, and with the help of Jaclynn Jutting’s stellar direction and a terrific cast, is a must-see.

When the Brontë sisters are young, they make the most of their less-than-ideal circumstances – and tragic losses of their mother and two older sisters – by making up stories and games with brother Branwell (Ken Miller). Though Branwell is intelligent and artistic, eventually immortalizing the three sisters in a portrait, he squanders his potential and succumbs to alcohol. Eldest sister Charlotte (Eleanor Katz) and youngest Anne (Janeane Bowlware) dream of lives beyond the moors, where they must care for their nearly-blind father Patrick (John Arthur Lewis). Meanwhile, middle sister Emily (Anne Korajczyk) alternately fights with and entertains her dark thoughts. As the years go by, the female Brontës bond over childhood imaginations turned creative brilliance, penning novels that will change the world – and getting published under male pseudonyms. But in a world where struggle is never more than a breath away, the sisters question the value of their artistic gifts and agonize over the demise of their once-bright and beloved brother.

Promethean’s press release for Brontë describes Teale’s script as “postmodern.” I wish this concept would have been implemented beyond a few small touches. (Branwell wears sneakers, Anne has a short haircut and the women first appear in stays and petticoats over T-shirts.) Modern, post-modern or period, the sisters’ story is a compelling one, and British dramatist Teale does an exemplary job of mingling high drama, contemporary commentary and ironic humor. Charlotte, Emily and Anne are complicated characters who sometimes don’t understand their own thoughts and impulses – not because they aren’t smart, but because they are human beings trying to comprehend an often-confounding existence. The women love their home and family, but also feel hindered by them – and who hasn’t felt that way at some point? Thanks to Teale, these literary heroines are not only complex, they’re relatable. Guest director Jutting incorporates original music and movement into the story, giving Brontë another rich layer, and stage manager Alexa Berkowitz keeps the many transitions magically smooth.’’

Jutting also deserves praise for assembling a superb ensemble, in which the men are strong and the women ten times stronger. Katz’s Charlotte is the textbook bossy but caring older sister, yearning for independence while taking solace in her writing and her family. Bowlware brings a sweet intellect to Anne, fully fleshing out the least-known Brontë sister. And as moody, constantly questioning Emily, Korajczak nearly steals the show, but instead spreads her intense energy with the generosity of a tried-and-true professional. Ashley Fox shines in the dual role of Bertha (Jane Eyre’s iconic “madwoman in the attic”) and Wuthering Heights’ doomed heroine Cathy, dancing in and out of the sisters’ subconscious minds and enacting their written words with a stunning grace.

The Brontë sisters never enjoyed fame and fortune. Like many of their time, they didn’t even experience old age. However, their legacy lives on in the form of poetry and fiction, namely their novels that are still read, analyzed and celebrated today. Brontë is a fitting tribute to Charlotte, Emily and Anne in their brilliant, complex glory, and Promethean’s production is nothing short of excellent and memorable. The sisters would be proud.

Rating: ★★★½

Brontë continues through February 7the at Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays 2pm.  Tickets are $14-$24, and are available by phone (773-935-6875) or online through OvationTix.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at PrometheanTheatre.org.  (Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes, includes an intermission)

Photos by Tom McGrath 

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artists

cast

Janeane Bowlware (Anne), Jared Dennis (Rochester, Bell Nichols), Ashley Fox (Cathy, Bertha), Eleanor Katz (Charlotte), Anne Korajczak (Emily), John Arthur Lewis (Patrick, Heger), Ken Miller (Branwell, Heathcliff, Huntington)

behind the scenes

Jaclynn Jutting (director), Alexa Berkowitz (stage manager), Kathleen Gullion (assistant director), Hazel Marie Flowers-McCabe (assistant stage manager), Jeremiah Barr (tech director, set design), Kristen P. Ahern (costume design), Catherine Gillespie (dialect coach), Brendan Hutt (violence design), Michael Kunc (sound design and original music), Julie Mack (lighting design), Arielle Valene (prop design), Tom McGrath (photographer)

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