Vanda Symon. Author of The Ringmaster, Overkill, and Containment.

A night out at the theatre is always a treat and Dunedin's Fortune Theatre is always something to look forward to regardless of the play. Yes, I am such a shallow theatre goer that I will love it because they serve gourmet ice-cream at half time and I am a sucker for the Ginger Snap flavour.

On Saturday night I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of the Fortune's production of Wuthering Heights, the stage adaptation of Emily Bronte's dark and brooding novel set on the Yorkshire moors. I studied Wuthering Heights at high school and was blessed with an English teacher who brought it to life, so being fully aware of the complexities of it and the sheer length, I was curious to see how a stage adaptation would stack up...

For full review visit:
http://vandasymon.blogspot.com/2010/04/wuthering-heights.html

Terry MacTavish, Theatreview

The Fortune has discovered the undying appeal of stage adaptations of great literary works, with productions of Jane Austen’s Emma last year and Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre the year before. But how successful is it to meld these two art forms?

Simple retelling of plot was never going to convey the genius of writers like these. Wuthering Heights in particular, with its imaginative power, unearthly characters, poetic force of language, brilliantly handled time scheme, and its layered narration, the prosaic blending with the melodramatic … There is indeed nothing to compare with it.

So what can theatre offer? Film gives at least the potential for gloriously bleak, rugged Yorkshire landscapes, and some stage adaptations have employed more than twenty actors on detailed sets contrasting the rough, wild Heights with the civilised residence of the Lintons. Here we have only five actors on a set that must serve for all. Yet somehow our imaginations must be fired by this unequalled story of love that is stronger than death.

Director Lisa Warrington, Dunedin theatre’s greatest asset, shows how it is done with inspired staging, the actors utilising the space with confident freedom...

For full review, visit: http://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=2975

Audience members

I must say after reading the Review of Wuthering Heights in the paper on Monday I attended the play with a bit of a heavy heart! Either the Reviewer was in entirely the wrong headspace or the cast and production crew significantly picked up their game (I suspect it was the former) but we throroughly enjoyed the play. There wasn't one moment when I was shuffling in my seat and hoping for the end! Which is how I felt the last time I went to the Fortune (Duets). Everyone around us seemed to be most appreciative as well. I thought the set was superb, it was extremely well produced and the acting was totally engaging. The standout for me was Sara Best - what an asset - her singing and acting were spot on - she was the star for me.

I took my 18 year old daughter with me to Wuthering Heights and we both really enjoyed the whole experience. The set was amazing, and took us through each chapter so well, and the acting was so very professional. The fact that only 5 people could portray so many characters, with seamless movement from one character to the next in such a convincing manner was amazing …. and I loved the way the actors themselves created the effect of wind on set - the opening was dynamic!

Jason and I {newly married, early 30s} thought we would spend Sunday avo being entertained by The Fortune.
We both remembered the story vaguely from school, although unsure if it was our memory or the twist that Jane Thorton put on it, it was like watching a whole new story and surprisingly we probably learnt more about the story than we did at school! We did find ourselves confused with actors changing characters more than once, but that was probably more `Sunday brain `.
Tim Foley and Anna Henare kept us focussed with a definite experience in acting to portray such a range of emotions, and enthusiasm. The lighting and sound really made us shiver, like we were out in the Moors ourselves.