Thirty years after Toronto and a quarter of a century after Broadway, Jane Eyre has finally reached London, in a pared-back chamber version of the John Caird and Paul Gordon musical staged by Caird himself with Megan McGinnis at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant. The notices divide along an unusually clean line. On the company the critics are close to unanimous — Charlie Burn’s Jane and Ashley Gilmour’s Rochester are praised almost everywhere, and the young Emily-Rose Samuel is the one performance nobody leaves out. On the score they are not: the same songs that one reviewer calls lush and cinematic another finds too much of a piece. The ratings run from four stars to two.
The verdict: eight reviews so far — three four-star notices, one at three and a half, two at three, one at two, and one outlet that publishes no rating. Across the seven that do score, the average is 3.4 out of 5. What unites them is the company: every single review singles out Emily-Rose Samuel, who alternates Young Jane and Adèle with Poppy Jason, and almost all of them admire Morgan Large’s design. What divides them is Paul Gordon’s score.
What are critics saying about JANE EYRE?
All That Dazzles
Reviewer: Daz Gale
“Equally, Jane Eyre boasts a thrilling and mesmerising design, with Morgan Large’s set gorgeously resembling Thornfield Hall with detail given to the gothic nature of the story. The thorns protruding from the stage are a fantastic touch as is the use of writing permanently displayed above. Large’s costume design also wows, blending the Victorian and gothic looks to create a great aesthetic. James Whiteside’s lighting brings the stage to life further, with a striking design that again feels bigger than the space it is in, but works to incredible effect. Bathing the stage in a red glow early on to relay the sinister goings on lets the audience know this is going to be a show that is stunning to watch from a visual perspective, despite the initial sparseness of the space. Andrew Johnson’s sound design never falters, making sure each word and sound is heard as intended - something that should never be taken for granted, given some shows that have struggled with that this year.”
Plays International & Europe
Reviewer: Louise Penn
“I might question the pacing of the first half, but the performances are uniformly excellent, especially the lead pair and young Samuel, who has a lot of emotionally charged moments as young Jane. This is a fine adaptation that is well worth your time.”
Read Louise Penn’s full review at Plays International & Europe
London Box Office
Reviewer: Stuart King
“I’ll concede that I didn’t expect to enjoy this production quite as much as I did. The songwriting (which taps Les Mis, and Into the Woods among others, for inspiration), benefits from solid musical knowledge and the aforementioned splendid arrangements which lift the gloomier and bleaker elements of the dour storyline into something more inspirational.”
The Spy in the Stalls
“The strong ensemble cast is slick and assured, shifting effortlessly between multiple roles. Charlie Burn makes a compelling Jane, balancing quiet determination with moments of defiance, with a voice that soars like a bird. Ashley Gilmour’s Rochester brings brooding charisma and emotional turmoil, with a richly sonorous voice. Isabelle Methven shines in the contrasting roles of saintly Helen and spirited Bessie, while Emily-Rose Samuel (sharing the role with Poppy Jason) impresses as Young Jane/Adele, combining a bright voice with remarkable maturity.”
WhatsOnStage
Reviewer: Theo Bosanquet
“Caird and co-director Megan McGinnis (who starred in another of Caird and and Gordon’s literary musicals, Daddy Long Legs), together with choreographer Georgina Lamb, lean heavily into the melodrama of it all, to the point it can feel a touch on the mawkish side. However, although it doesn’t quite convince as an overlooked masterpiece, there is no doubt it has merits, together with some stonking central performances, and is one that musical aficionados won’t want to miss.”
Musical Theatre Review
Reviewer: Susan Elkin
“Brontë wrote Jane Eyre as a first person narrative and this production attempts to retain that but gets it jarringly wrong. From time to time the ensemble becomes a quasi Greek chorus voicing Jane’s memories in statements, spoken in turn. It doesn’t work at all if Burn and/or Emily-Rose is on stage and silent. Jane Eyre almost more than any other character in fiction can, and should, speak for herself. If she doesn’t the whole point is lost.”
Theatre Weekly
“never quite captures the emotional sweep of the great romance at its centre”
Reviewer: Greg Stewart
“This UK premiere tells Brontë’s story with clarity and conviction, supported by strong performances and striking design. Yet despite these accomplishments, it never quite captures the emotional sweep of the great romance at its centre, leaving a production that is engaging, but ultimately less heartfelt than it ought to be.”
Production photographs by Victoria Davies.
Also reviewed by: The Stage (Tom Wicker, three stars, “Chemistry anchors the story”), whose review sits behind a paywall.
London Box Office also caught an earlier performance: Shehrazade Zafar-Arif’s First Look at Jane Eyre awards the same four stars. For more of what the critics have been saying this month, our recent roundups cover Krapp’s Last Tape at The Cockpit and Holy Fool at the Park Theatre.
Jane Eyre runs at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant until Saturday 24 October 2026.
