Jane Eyre professional cast announced!

We’re delighted to announce the professional actors who will be joining the cast of this year’s Pro-Am (professional/amateur) production, Jane Eyre.

Headshot of Natalie Spence, a young woman with shoulder length brown hair, wearing a black shirt

 

The professional cast comprises Natalie Spence as Jane Eyre. Natalie trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, before launching her acting career with a role in hit TV show Outlander (STARZ). Since then, she has appeared in soap classics such as Eastenders and Emmerdale, and most recently spent a month in Barcelona filming a guest lead role for upcoming political thriller The Diplomat. As a passionate singer, Natalie has also travelled the globe, performing on stages from Paris to Hong Kong.

“I’m thrilled to be treading the boards at the renowned Courtyard Theatre,” says Natalie, “And am looking forward to delving into the world of the iconic Jane Eyre.”

 

 

Heashot of Matthew Canny, he has short dark blonde hair and blue eyes and is wearing a white shirt and blue suit jacket

 

 

Starring opposite Natalie as Mr Rochester is Matthew Canny. Originally from Derbyshire, Matthew spent time at The Television Workshop under the direction of Ian Smith. Matthew went on to train at LAMDA, graduating from their 3-year course in 2014. During his time there, he was awarded the ‘Lilian Baylis Award’ for outstanding talent. Since graduating his credits include, Downton Abbey (BBC), Tina & Bobby (ITV), Coronation Street (ITV), Emmerdale (ITV), Belgravia (Universal) and Against The Law (BBC).

 

 

 

Natalie and Matthew will be joined by a cast of community and Youth Theatre members. Speaking about working with a mix of professional and community actors, Director David Durant said:

“It’s deeply rewarding and humbling at the same time. Having such a mixture brings a lot of laughter and fun as everyone is there to learn, create and ultimately enjoy the process. This can sometimes be lost when working in the arts as we can be so focussed on the end product, but this process is as much about the final production as it is about the learning and passing on of skills as we get there.”

Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece is brought vividly to life by The Courtyard in Polly Teale’s striking adaptation of the classic novel, Jane Eyre.

From the cruelty of Jane’s childhood to the tempestuous secrets of her adult life, this production revels in the passions of one of literature’s most loved heroines.

As a child, the orphaned Jane is taught to stifle her natural vivacity. A part of herself is locked away, out of view of polite society… until she arrives at Rochester’s house as a governess to his young child. Soon Rochester’s passionate nature reawakens Jane’s hidden self, but darker mysteries are stirring in the attic…

Bold, inventive, and intensely powerful, this moving retelling of Jane’s struggle for freedom against all odds, puts the interior life of this captivating novel centre stage.

Jane Eyre will be in The Courtyard’s Main House from Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 October.

Book now for Jane Eyre