JANE EYRE


CHARACTERS

YOUNG JANE (JANE as a girl of 10)
JOHN REED, her cousin
MRS REED, her aunt

MR BROCKLEHURST, the owner of Lowood School
MISS SCATCHERED, a teacher
MARIGOLD, a servant at the school
HELEN BURNS
SCHOOLGIRLS

MRS FAIRFAX, the housekeeper of Thornfield Hall
ROBERT, the butler
ADELE, Mr Rochester’s ward
GRACE POOLE
SERVANTS at the hall

EDWARD FAIRFAX ROCHESTER

BLANCHE INGRAM
LADY INGRAM, (‘Maud’), her mother
LORD INGRAM, (‘Tedo’), her brother
MARY INGRAM, her sister
MR ESHTON, a magistrate
LOUISA ESHTON, his elder daughter
AMY ESHTON, his younger daughter
COLONEL DENT,
MRS DENT (‘Clare’), his wife

RICHARD MASON
BERTHA MASON

THE VICAR of the Parish of Thornfield

ST JOHN RIVERS, a curate in the Parish of Gateshead

THE ENSEMBLE who tell the story in JANE’S words and comprise all of the characters listed above


ACT ONE

Jane's odyssey of struggle, separation and self-discovery begins here at the age of ten with her mistreatment in the home of her relatives, whom she soon leaves for similar treatment at Lowood School. At Lowood, however, she finds hope and friendship with Helen, an outcast student who gives Jane a larger picture of the universe. This relationship is lost, however, with Helen's death.
After eight years, Jane decides it is time to see where God would send her, and she begins a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. Here, Jane forms new friendships with the housekeeper, Mrs. Fairfax, and Jane's French pupil, Adele, but she also finds mysteries to puzzle her and an arrogant, brooding master in Edward Rochester. Jane learns something of Rochester's unhappiness in conversation with him, and their relationship deepens when she saves his life after a mysterious arsonist sets fire to his bed. Rochester's tenderness towards Jane at this time leads her to discover her heart and allow herself feelings of love for him.

Disappointment comes again for Jane when Rochester brings his wealthy friends home for a party and pays particular attention to the beautiful Blanche Ingram.

ACT TWO

As the party and evening progress, two interesting events occur: a mysterious gypsy hag tells the ladies' fortunes and encourages Jane to follow her heart, and a stranger from Jamaica arrives, much to the distress of Rochester, and involves Jane in a night of blood and fear. Just when Jane feels she must again face separation from one she loves, due to Rochester's implied engagement to Miss Ingram, Rochester confesses in a moment of passion his love for Jane, proposing marriage and defying convention. Jane believes she has at last found happiness, but its doom is foreshadowed by lightning splitting a nearby tree
One month following Rochester's proposal to Jane, and on the night before the wedding, Jane finds herself the victim of bizarre happenings. Despite mysterious vandalism in her room, her wedding begins as planned, only to be interrupted by the exposure of a dark secret from Rochester's past which prohibits the marriage and their happiness. At this hour, Jane is tested to the core but remains true to herself and God by choosing separation, the most painful of her life. Rochester, who begged her to compromise, is also devastated by her leaving, but finds the strength within himself to change and follow Jane's example.
Jane flees Thornfield with nothing and nowhere to go, but a kind Providence who has seen her integrity deposits her on the doorstep of a family who will become her family, in every sense of the word. The pattern of separations now turns to a cycle of healing as Jane finds familial love and even inherits an uncle's fortune. But there is one more test for Jane, as her new-found cousin, St. John Rivers, requests her hand in what would be a missionary partnership in India. Wanting to do God's will, but knowing St. John does not love her as a husband should, Jane struggles to know what to do; at the same time, events are occurring at Thornfield which will change Rochester's life forever.
At a moment of peril, Jane hears Rochester call her name, and she knows what she must do. Returning to Thornfield, Jane finds it in ruins, and an old servant tells her of the recent tragedy and leads her to Rochester who, blind and crippled, waits by the splintered tree, which now shows new life in young shoots. Jane finds Rochester a better man; the impediment to their marriage is now gone, and their reunion is a sweet conclusion to the cycle of struggle and healing.



S O N G S  B Y  C H A R A C T E R

ADELE Perfectly Nice.

BERTHA The Fire, Sirens, The Scream, The Secret of the House.

BLANCHE INGRAM The Finer Things, The Ball/Oh How You Look in the Light, In the light of the Virgin Morning.

MR BROCKLEHURST The Attic, Children of God.

YOUNG JANE Forgiveness, The Death of Helen Burns, The Graveside.

MARGUERITE The Icy Lane.

MASON The Scream.

MRS REED Children of God, The Death of Mrs Reed.

ROBERT Perfectly Nice, The Master Returns, The Gypsy.

MRS FAIRFAX Perfectly Nice, The Master Returns, Society’s Best, Galloping up to the Drive, Slip of a Girl, Return to Thornfield.

THE FIGURE The Fire, Sirens.

SCHOOLGIRLS Children of God.

GRACE POOLE The Chestnut Tree.

GUESTS Galloping up to the Drive.

HELEN BURNS Forgiveness, Willing to be Brave

JANE EYRE The Attic, The Death of Helen Burns, The Graveside, Sweet Liberty, Perfectly Nice, An Incident has Come and Gone, Your Word to God, The Fire, Secret Soul, Society’s Best, The Pledge.

ROCHESTER Jane, The Master Returns, The Captive Bird, As Good as You, Your Word to God, After the Fire, Secret Soul, The Ball/Oh How you Look in the Light, The Pledge, Sirens, The Gypsy, My Hope of Heaven, The Secret of the House, Sail Away, Farewell Good Angel, The Voice Across the Moors.

ST JOHN The Death of Mrs Reed, The Voice Across the Moors.

MISS SCATCHERD Children of God, The Death of Helen Burns.

VICAR The Wedding, The Secret of the House.

WOMEN The Gypsy.



ENSEMBLE SINGING NUMBERS

Children of God
Death of Helen Burns
Sweet Liberty
Secrets of the house
The icy Lane - This song is for ensemble only
The fire
Galloping up to the drive
The ball
Sympathies exist - This song is ensemble only
The scream - possibly for only a handful of ensemble
The chestnut tree - for servants 1 and 2 only and Grace
The wedding
The secret house
Rain
Gateshead revisited
The death of Mrs Reed
Brave enough for love (the last song in the score)

THERE IS ALSO LIB FOR ENSEMBLE