Last night SuTCo (Sheffield University Theatre Company) delivered a show-stopping performance of Emily Brontë’s classic novel Wuthering Heights (adapted for the stage by April De Angelis) directed by Kirsty Lucas.
It was a marvel to see this, one of my favourite stories, come to life on the stage. Of course it’s an entirely different experience to reading Brontë’s novel, but the plot remains entirely intact. Although at times the physical acting felt a bit clumsy, the play’s central drama was narrated flawlessly by Nelly (Isabella Gualano), and I applaud the decision to include Lockwood (Oscar Pike) onstage as observer of the action, and not just listener as in the novel. Cathy (Ella Reed) and Heathcliff’s (Matt Heppell) tragic love was portrayed with a passion so tangible that we as audience could not help but feel sorry for other characters who got in the way of their machinations.
This leads me on to discuss the character of Edgar, played by CJ Simon. Often an overlooked character, Edgar was revitalised by Simon, playing his moments of insecurity and obliviousness in ways that perfectly complemented the current atmosphere of the scene, whether that be playing them for laughs with over-emphasised sobbing and immaturity, or to evoke pity in the audience for this cheerful man so broken by Cathy’s betrayal.
These performances were further enhanced by the creative team’s decisions. Lighting was utilised superbly to distinguish the inside and outside, and later on to mirror the fact that the play’s second half was indeed far darker than the first. The use of sound was also rather innovative, in that a consistent ambience was created that ran throughout the play, exposing the audience to the barks of dogs, the cries of babies and, of course, the unrelenting climate of the heath. Occasionally the additional sounds did slightly overpower the actors’ speech, but this was rare in a production that, on the whole, was obviously very dramatic!
Costume designer Lily Feil deserves special mention, as all the costumes not only managed to be in keeping with the period, but also expertly matched the idiosyncrasies of each character. Heathcliff’s shirt collar was ruffled, just like his demeanour, and young Cathy’s (Caitlin Wood) colourful dresses complemented her kindness of character.
Overall it was a very cohesive and moving production of Wuthering Heights, with some extremely strong performances from SuTCo.
★★★★☆
SuTCo’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ is running at the University Drama Studio until 25th February. Tickets available here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/sheffield-university-theatre-company/e-babdjo
