Wuthering Heights (Tour – Manchester)

Early on in Peter McMuster: Wuthering Heights two of the male actors take their clothes off and stand naked for a while before putting on dresses. Another actor snorts like a horse and runs around the stage with his arm up and bent forward for most of the production.

Perhaps experimental theatre practitioner Peter McMuster’s name was added to the show title as a warning to those who thought they were seeing a traditional version of Wuthering Heights.

So this is another warning for any students who think they can watch this instead of reading the book, Bronte’s text doesn’t really get too much of a look in this slightly nuts production.

Kate Bush, on the other hand, is a huge influence and there is a joyful dance to her Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff’s horse (played by the aforementioned snorting actor) narrates parts of the tale and other key moments are acted out with excellently choreographed movement.

The four performers explain that they are blending Wuthering Heights with their own lives and experiences of being male. This part remains a bit inaccessible at times but there is a brutal honesty and abandon in their performances that reveals more (both physically and emotionally) than the actual words spoken.

The layout puts audience members on each side of the space making the experience even more intense.

They admit straight off ‘we never got to why we were doing it’ and that is why at the end it sort of ‘crumbles and falls apart’. And while it seems churlish to use their own words back at them, the lack of cohesion can be frustrating and it’s often difficult for the audience to keep up.

Having said that this is probably one of the most original and intriguing interpretations of Wuthering Heights since the great Kate Bush released her single thirty-six years ago..

Wuthering Heights is at Contact, Manchester until 27 November.