Wuthering Heights
Emily Brontë's 1847 novel Wuthering Heights is considered one of the best love stories and novels of its time. The generational storyline featuring the Gothic fictional families of the Earnshaws and the Lintons centers around Heathcliff and Catherine's growing love and hauntingly devasting emotions of hopelessness and despair. Shone for its Victorian moralities, cruelties, revenge, and abuse, this unfulfilled love, and tragic romance novel continues its rage of love being the pain and passion of humanity.
As a waif child, Heathcliff comes to the home of Earnshaw with Hindley and Catherine, and as they grow in age, Heathcliff and Cathrine fall in love. But when Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley becomes the master of the house and makes Heathcliff a servant. Heathcliff leaves and then returns as a wealthy gentleman but learns that Catherine is married, enraging him to seek revenge. Revamped by Wise Children theatre company multi-award-winning director Emma Rice, who tackles the entire novel, Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Wuthering Heights takes Brontë's classic saga into a new-age production where love and anguish are mixed with live music, dance, and puppetry, that's nearly three hours, including intermission. Rice, who started her writings as a series of poems, wanted to remove the domestic narrative, wanting her main characters to be more like gods.
With 17 songs, this musical, narrated through the eyes of the wild moors of Yorkshire, brings a unique style that will startle audiences unfamiliar with this shockingly updated version. Of course, changes to classic productions can work; however, that old saying of knowing your audience is critical when considering these modifications. Still, during the unscheduled stoppage, I could hear many of the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers, the core group of theatergoers, thinking they were coming to see this classic in its original format.
Summarizing the classic,
Heathcliff discovers that Catherine is dying, visits her in secret, and she dies shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Cathy.
Heathcliff calls for Catherine's ghost to haunt him.
Being pregnant, Isabella flees Heathcliff and gives birth to Heathcliff's son, Linton.
Hindley dies six months later, leaving Heathcliff as master of Wuthering Heights.
Twelve years later Isabella's death, Heathcliff's frail and sickly son Linton returns to Wuthering Heights, where Heathcliff wants him the marry his cousin, Cathy, to inherit the Grange when Edgar dies. The story ends with Cathy's plans to marry her cousin Hareton. Heathcliff dies, and the locals are convinced that they have seen the ghost of Catherine and Heathcliff wandering abroad together.
Kathy Ellis played the role of Catherine and Liam Tamne, who was excellent as Heathcliff. Sam Archer and Tama Phethean performed exceptionally, but Georgia Bruce enchanted the audience with her Isabella and Little Linton performance. At its core, Emma Rice's Wuthering Heights stays true to the original book—and I applaud Emma Rice, known for her theatrical adaptations, imagination, tackling broader issues, and spirited humor with intoxicating characters, which seeks to appeal to a younger audience. Theater needs new dramatic creations and adaptations of plays to bring a younger generation of patrons. Rice's School for Wise Children offers training courses and opportunities for independent theatre-makers and emerging companies, which is needed to continue the future of great theater. Nevertheless, this production lost me, and I'm sure others, with its many puzzling scenes, contemporary dancing, and acid-rock-style music.
I struggled with rating this play, deciding that the generational gap of individuals coming to see this play would determine the diverse reactions audiences would take home after seeing this version of Brontë's Wuthering Heights. For my age group, you may have to give this version of Emma Rice's production a fresh look; however, speaking as one of the Baby Boomers who loved the 1939 film version starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon—this Wuthering Heights didn't do it for me.
Let's Play Theatrical Review Recommends Wuthering Heights at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Chicago Shakespeare On Navy Pier Theater
Wise Children's Wuthering Heights
Based on the novel by Emily Brontë
Adapted & Directed by Emma Rice
January 27 - February 19, 2023
