Roberts for her performance as Jane's inner self/ Bertha Mason – I was in awe of how she remained fully present the whole time she was on stage, at times reacting to the action on stage and at other times fully believably caught up in her own thoughts and fantasies, presumably dreaming of her past freedom, with no lines and (I am guessing) not being directed for her moves but acting and reacting in a way that appeared totally natural. As Bertha, Heather also continued to represent Jane's inner self, reflecting her inner desires and stifled sexuality (the scene where Bertha was hovering above Jane as she dreamt of Rochester, seemingly fuelling her forbidden sensuality, was particularly erotic). Bertha had my full sympathy as the woman who Rochester has repeatedly tried to repress, even resorting to locking her away for years, and yet her free and fighting spirit appeared to remain intact until the moment she chose to end her life – no longer allowing Rochester to control her. Suzanne Nolan as Grace Pool had a similarly challenging role, often being on stage with Heather, interacting with her in a very physical way, without many lines to guide the action. Suzanne also deserves recognition for bringing Grace to life often purely through actions, and the rather creepy, mysterious air she was able to adopt purely through her expressions. You could palpably feel the discomfort between Grace and Jane whenever they happened upon each other in Thornfield Hall. Holly Boland as Jane Eyre represented the opposite of Bertha Mason – repressed and brow beaten with no apparent awareness of her own sexuality or power. However, another aspect of this production that I
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