Wuthering Heights at the National Theatre - a Review

By Lailah Boateng

 

 

 

The National Theatre, one of the UK’s most well-known performing arts venues, has recently debuted an on-stage adaptation of Emily Bronte’s renowned ‘Wuthering Heights’, a classic piece of gothic literature detailing a story of love, revenge and redemption. The play, 2 hours and 50 minutes long (separated by an interval), is rated 5 stars by the Times for the remarkable show put on, in addition to the genius decisions made concerning casting. 

Adapted by Emma Rice, the performance is a perfect blend of classic story telling and modernism, combining theatre and music to create a production that is simultaneously humorous, tragic, and enlightening. For many, the entire interval was spent gushing over the first half of the performance and excitedly anticipating the second! A member of the audience, Eleanor Facer, stated that ‘this Wuthering Heights performance was astounding – the contrast from a tragedy to fits of laughter created a masterful modern adaptation to this classic story. It is a show for everyone!’

Actors such as Ash Hunter and Lucy McCormick gave flawless performances, arousing both horror and laughter from the audience at various times. The sharp distinction between the extreme emotions displayed within the play made for a highly entertaining and enthralling viewer experience, that several audience members expressed they would love to see again.

It is worth noting that the production features some forms of lighting that may be problematic for photosensitive viewers – more information can be found on the National Theatre website. Wuthering Heights is showing at the National Theatre until March 19th 2022 – book your tickets now!