Celebrating the two-hundred-year anniversary of Charlotte Bronte’s birth, writer Linda Marshall-Griffiths proves the Brontes are just as relevant today in her futuristic reimagining of Charlotte’s last work, Villette. Set in a sterile society full of emotionally stunted characters, the action begins on “Day 89”. Searchlights, reflective jump suits and live sea shanties open the play, performed as the cast shake back and forth, simulating the motion of a journey, possibly by train or boat. In this fashion, the central protagonist, Lucy Snow (Laura Elsworthy) arrives to the fictional town of Villette and gets work in a lab on an archaeological dig.

Through Lucy’s first person narration, it’s revealed she is the only surviving clone of a now deceased world renowned professor. After an unspecified epidemic has wiped out much of the population, society is on the brink of dying out. Lucy’s narration is deliberately very disjointed to create a suitably eerie futuristic feel but remains poetic too, reflecting her internal monologue: “I taste my empty stomach.” Through her eyes, we follow her getting acquainted with and eventually being accepted by the other scientists.

The action is interspersed with her commenting on her experience in an exceedingly challenging lead role for Elsworthy as Linda Marshall-Griffiths virtually writes a feature length monologue. Jess Curtis’ design is simple but effective, using a lit up square platform surrounded by hints of remaining foliage. Above split screen projection has the dual purpose of acting as both scientific apparatus and the means by which Beck (Catherine Cusack) is able to constantly watch her employers. Unnerving mentions of “Door 17”, coupled with travel bans, the censorship of letters and the monitoring of relationships, create an undoubtedly dystopian feel.

While the set-up initially appears all doom and gloom, there is hope in the form of the Lady of Villette; having survived the outbreak, her skeletal remains may provide the key for a cure. Lucy’s blossoming confidence means Villette also has a lot of heart and some humorous moments. Standing out, is the bluntly awkward small talk of Lucy and Professor Bear’s (Philip Cairns) picnic date, alongside Day of the Dead celebrations and the whole cast’s Christmas celebration sing-along.

Despite its five-person cast of spikey characters, all socially awkward in their own way, Villette remains a love story about surviving and finding a voice. Playhouse Director Mark Rosenblatt finds a perfect balance between the atmospheric and endearing, eliciting faultless performances through minimal interactions and scanty additional props/costumes. Matching its source material in an ambiguous and defiant but optimistic final line (“We will love”), Villette is a hauntingly beautiful piece of theatre that much like the rich language of its precursor, would benefit from revisits.

Villette shows at The Playhouse 28 September- October 15: https://www.wyp.org.uk/events/villette/

Leo Owen