Theatre company Inspector Sands is to tour its first mid-scale show in 2023: a new, contemporary adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights which will open in Northampton ahead of a UK tour.
Founded in 2005, Inspector Sands has become known for its “irresistible mix of comedy and pathos in a detailed exploration of human behaviour”.
This adaptation of Wuthering Heights has been conceived and developed by Inspector Sands founding members Lucinka Eisler, who also directs, and Ben Lewis, who has written the script. It is told through the eyes and memories of housekeeper Nelly, alone in her kitchen, haunted by the story she relives again and again.
Eisler said, “the show is ostensibly set in the 1750s, but we’re drawn to its contemporary resonances. Brontë’s novel illustrates the way violence, beliefs and family dynamics are passed down from generation to generation. In turn, we look at the way the story we’ve inherited from Brontë speaks to the huge risks of ignoring history.
“We’re interested in treading the line between darkness and comedy where the most human experiences seem to lie.”
Lewis added, “this is not the bodice-ripping love story to which it can sometimes feel reduced; it’s a portrait of an isolated rural community over time. And ultimately, it’s a story of the fundamental human need for love and belonging, and the tragic consequences of their absence.”
Casting is to be announced. Designer is Jamie Vartan and sound design is by Elena Peña. Wuthering Heights will be co-produced by Inspector Sands, China Plate, Northampton Royal and Derngate and Oxford Playhouse.
It will open in Northampton from Monday 24 April until Saturday 6 May before a tour which takes in Oxford Playhouse, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Rose Theatre Kingston and Northern Stage, Newcastle.