BRONTE

Written and Directed by Polly Teale
Designed by Angela Davies
Composer Peter Salem
Movement by Leah Hausman
Lighting by Chris Davey
Cast Diane Beck, Catherine Cusack, David Fielder, Natalia Tena, Matthew Thomas, Fenella Woolgar
How is it possible that three Victorian spinsters, living in isolation on the Yorkshire moors, could have written some of the most powerful and passionate fiction of all time?
It is 1845. Branwell Brontë returns home in disgrace. Plagued by alcohol and drug addiction, he has been dismissed after an affair with the mistress of the house. As their brother descends into alcoholism and insanity, bringing chaos to the household, the sisters write…
This extraordinary new play evokes the real and imagined worlds of the Brontës, as the fictional characters come to haunt their creators. This powerful new play brings the Brontë family’s fascinating story to life, providing us with a glimpse at the women behind the stories.
Shared Experience has been lauded all over the globe for its inventive, visually-stunning productions, including Jane Eyre, A Passage to India, and Mill on the Floss. Polly Teale, the director and author of Brontë, received the Evening Standard Award for Best Director and Time Out Award for Best Production for After Mrs. Rochester, which transferred to the West End in 2003. Angela Davies’ evocative design uses stunning images by the internationally celebrated artist, Paula Rego.
Recommended for ages 14+.
“A thrillingly theatrical and highly distinctive performance style which is a genuine and celebratory marriage of physical and text based theatre” The Guardian (on Shared Experience)
“Breathtaking… a rare feat of theatrical imagining” Evening Standard (on After Mrs. Rochester)
Shared Experience / Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre / Lyric Hammersmith
Written and Directed by Polly Teale
Designed by Angela Davies
Composer Peter Salem
Movement by Leah Hausman
Lighting by Chris Davey
Cast Diane Beck, Catherine Cusack, David Fielder, Natalia Tena, Matthew Thomas, Fenella Woolgar
Dublin Theatre Festival