Theatre

The set, "all dour and grim"

Withering Heights?

When my friend Katy an I went to see Wuthering Heights, it was a sunny warm evening and expectations were high, the traffic into town was light and we took this as a good omen.

As we entered the theatre there were spooky swathes of mist swirling around. Okay, I know it came from a spooky swirly mist making machine, but it added to the atmosphere. It was like walking back into another time. 

We took our seats and saw the stage, all dour and grim looking, and sparsely furnished. B&Q (make a house a home) wasn’t around then, so they had to make do.

Marshall Lancaster as Linton

I was looking forward to an ice-cream a the interval. Yes, expectations were indeed high. I might even get my mitts on a cup of tea as well if I was lucky.

The play began and that’s where it all fell apart for me sadly.

Despite being in seemingly 'good' seats, just seven rows back, our proximity to the exit on the left meant we, along with everyone around us, had to crow our necks to see a lot of the action. An oversight on the set designer's part perhaps? 

I knew all was lost for me when I found myself mentally maiming Catherine Linton, nee Earnshaw, played annoyingly by Jessica Harris. I had her in an imaginary headlock and was thumping the living daylights out of her. Well, she deserved it, she was a right spoilt little madam.

It also dawned on me at the same time as the mental maiming, that I wanted the first half to be over with, I had the hump now, I didn’t want an ice-cream anymore. It was more a case of "just bring me a cup of tea, NOW!".

I was glad when the second half started because that meant the end would follow - sooner, I hoped, rather than later - I was rapidly losing the will to live. I was so depressed I was mentally bequeathing my worldly possessions to my nearest and dearest.

It is hard to say why this was such a disappointment for me. One of the culprits, I suspect, was Heathcliff, played timidly by Joel Fry.

For me, the defining characteristic of Heathcliff is his brooding, dark presence - the unmistakable feeling of menace emanating from him. The knowledge that his mind is not at peace. He should make you scared. Because he cares for no-one other than Catherine, he is unbreakable because she has already broken him.

I suppose if Heathcliff were alive today he would be described as having mental health issues, and would  more than likely become a service user within a psychiatric  hospital. He would have probably be described as having some sort of psychosis. 

Joel fry as Heathcliff

This whole unrest of mind and spirit Joel Fry seemed unable to convey. He moped around the stage, occasionally thumping people and hollering, but he never once made me shiver in apprehension and fear. It seemed like he was just going through the motions - he had no oomph! I wanted oomph! Hell, I needed oomph!

Heathcliff then disappears for a few years, before furtively re-appearing, obviously more wealthy than when he left. This is never explained, not in the book or the play.
I suppose you have to make your own mind up. My guess is he wormed his way into some gullible old lady’s life, stole all her cash, clobbered the life out of her and buried her in a lonely grave. The heartless scoundrel.

In fairness, the play itself was true to the original story and the cast obviously knew their stuff. Wuthering Heights can be quite a confusing story at times; with so many names to remember, it can all get quite frantic.

Kate Ambler as Isabella Linton

In this production, the cast is small - just five actors. With the exception of Heathcliff, they all play more than one character.

The characters of Nelly Dean, Frances, and Isabella Linton were  played by Kate Ambler, who was a light at the end of a wearisome tunnel. Her portrayal of all these characters was expertly done.

Marshall Lancaster was outstanding as Edgar Linton, Linton, Old Earnshaw and Joseph. Although I’m not sure if his portrayal of Joseph was intended to be so funny, it gave the play a welcome injection of levity.

Nick Figgis played Hindley and Hareton and for me was the highlight in a play that was challenging, and not in a good way. His portrayal of Hindley was amusing, especially when he announced to the poor bemused Isabella that he tries to get into Heathcliff's room every night and if he once ever finds it unlocked, is going to shoot him. I found myself nodding in agreement with Hindley - go for it, I say.

His portrayal of Hareton was heartening, and to see Hareton find happiness was immensely satisfying, in an otherwise unsatisfying adaptation.

Cathy and Heathcliff 'in love'

After the performance, Katy (who felt a similar sense of disappointment) and I tried to work out why it didn't work. We came to the conclusion there was no spark between Cathy and Heathcliff. No passion. Although there was plenty of shouting, and smiting of bosom and skirt wringing, it just didn’t have any oomph!

Cathy was self-obsessed, whining, and manipulative, and needed a good clip round her lug hole. Heathcliff wasn’t exactly of sound mind, and was so full of hate he probably wouldn’t know what love was if it came and yodelled in his ear.

We didn’t really believe in them or care very much either, and that’s probably what was missing too, you need to care about the characters, they need to stir up something.
I went along to see Wuthering Heights, full of high expectations and came out grumpy after seeing a load of Whingeing Tripe.

Wendy Barton-O'Neill