Jane Eyre - Southwark Playhouse Elephant
Updated: 3 days ago
It's eleven o'clock in the evening, and I'm still turning over the show I saw tonight. Let me take you back to June 2026, when this production of Jane Eyre made its first public appearance at West End Live. I stood in that audience fantasising about hearing those songs a second time. But, as many of you know by now, the music is only part of the work of a musical. For one to succeed, it must have an equally strong book and an equally strong team, both on and off stage. I'll admit, I was worried. John Caird and Paul Gordon's musical adaptation had all of those elements in place.
This twelve-strong cast is led by Charlie Burn, whose performance as Jane left me speechless: a voice capable of absolutely anything, paired with a stage presence to match. The truth is, this cast is stacked. From West End legends Jonathan Andrew Hume and Ashley Gilmour to Eve Shanu-Wilson, whom I was lucky enough to see as the understudy for Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera, this is a company that showcases a remarkable range of talent.
The production also boasts real strength in its child cast. Emily-Rose Samuel, newly welcomed to this demanding industry, brought the house down. As someone who speaks both French and English fluently, I rarely hear French delivered this flawlessly on stage. Samuel caught my eye immediately, holding her own alongside seasoned voices without ever seeming intimidated or overshadowed.
The score, composed by Paul Gordon, is stunning, timeless and truly magical. The book by John Caird is equally strong, condensing the classic novel with real skill. I had never previously been exposed to the story, but I walked out of the show fully caught up in it.
If there's one criticism, it's a minor one: the space felt slightly too small to accommodate a piece of this grandeur. Even so, I could easily imagine this staging transferring elsewhere without much difficulty, and I'd welcome the chance to see it find a home that matches its ambition.
By the interval, I already knew I wanted to see it again, and by the time I left, I'd booked my next visit. That's the clearest verdict I can give: this is a production I'm not done with yet, and I'd urge anyone who loves musical theatre to see it before its run ends.
Production Value: 90%
Value For Money: 85%
Personal Enjoyment: 95%
Overall Score: 90% - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5*)
(AD | gifted in exchange for an honest review)
Show Information
Venue: Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London
Playing Until: 24th October 2026
Run Time: Approximately 2h30 - with an interval of 20 minutes
Tickets can be purchased from this link.
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