Underdog: The Other Other Brontë

“Underdog” is an energetic, assertive exploration of the dynamics within the Brontë family, focused on Charlotte, Emily and Anne’s struggles against societal expectations, particularly with regard to the role of women.  The narrative is built around historical fact, and the settings and costumes place the story firmly in the mid nineteenth century, but the sisters express their contemporary, possibly timeless views in robust language which demands that you sit up and take notice.  There’s an immediacy to the drama which forces you to engage, a consequence of the fact that an unusually high proportion of the lines are delivered directly to the audience, and the Brontë sisters’ frustrations and determination are almost palpable.

Charlotte’s monologues were particularly engaging and insightful: and her early hope that the audience “won’t judge me too harshly” invited scrutiny of her motivations, which she was subsequently prepared to explore.  She understandably found her publisher’s judgment that she was “unlovable” hurtful, even when tempered by Anne into “difficult to love”.  Her response – “I have already failed as a woman – I will not fail as an author” – clearly underpinned her philosophy and priorities later in life.  Emily was portrayed as both spirited and principled, prepared to stand up for her younger sister and to challenge her older sister; her fierce independence and pride were evident when she took exception to Charlotte taking her poetry from her room.  Anne, “the other other Brontë” in the title, is initially more prepared to embrace a pragmatic acceptance of her status, but her experience of working as a governess soon strengthens her resolve to become a writer and challenge accepted societal norms.

The principals were all able to affect persuasive Yorkshire accents, and did not allow these to drift into parody or interfere with the clarity of their diction; the modern treatment of the sisters’ story incorporated quite a lot of swearing, but none of the performers flinched from this.  They were well supported by an ensemble of six who transitioned effortlessly between playing specific supporting roles and providing a contextual chorus.  The wordless choreography of the postal delivery service, pressed into action when Anne and Charlotte were corresponding, was particularly effective, as was the highly stylised dancing in a London salon.

The setting was established principally through high quality projections of pictures acquired during the directors’ pilgrimage to Haworth earlier this year.  The power of the technology was imaginatively utilised: for example, when Anne is taken aback by the grandeur of Mrs Ingham’s residence, or when Charlotte and Anne undertake the seventeen-hour carriage ride to London.  These pictures were augmented by prints and old photographs, with special effects such as handwritten extracts from the sisters’ works occasionally superimposed on the images – a device which dovetailed beautifully with the sisters’ habit of writing lines in chalk on the floor.  This modern approach felt entirely in keeping with that of the play itself – a twenty-first century treatment of a nineteenth century story.

Pops of colour were provided by the sisters’ Victorian dresses: each was crafted in a single bold colour – red, green, blue – which really stood out from the neutral palette dominant elsewhere.  Costumes were also employed symbolically, such as when the sisters donned black tailcoats to represent their adoption of male pseudonyms as they attempted to break into the masculine world of literary London, or ethereal white coats used to represent death.  Symbolism and social status were implied in the ensemble costumes: members of the elite, such as the wealthy Mrs Ingham and the influential Elizabeth Gaskell, were distinguished by the quality and cut of their costumes, while the cohesion of the influential people in London was emphasised by the near uniformity of their outfits.

This really was an object lesson in how creativity, design and technical skill can combine to provide the context for a narrative and truly enhance the storytelling.  The various components of the production worked in harmony to add up to rather more than the sum of their parts, and the quality evident here complemented the high standard of the performance.  The company entertained and challenged us in equal measure, providing a fascinating insight into the stories behind the Brontë sisters’ seminal works as well as a damning indictment of a world run for and by the patriarchy.  I for one was left with the uncomfortable feeling that some things haven’t changed very much, as I thoughtfully made my way out of the building.  But that’s the power of theatre, and once again the Sinodun Players have demonstrated that they know exactly how to utilise it.          

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.