GOTHIC Masterpiece, Jane Eyre is coming to the stage of Malvern Theatres, this autumn.

It has been adapted for the stage by Nick Lane and will be performed by Blackeyed Theatre.

The novel, by Charlotte Bronte, is widely considered to be one of the greatest works of English fiction, with a spirited heroine who has absolute knowledge of her place in the late Georgian universe.

As Jane Eyre said: “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will”

A spokesman said: “A gothic masterpiece of tempestuous passions and dark secrets, Jane Eyre tells the thrilling story of an orphan girl and her journey from a childhood of loneliness and cruelty to a life at Thornfield Hall and an unlikely relationship with the mysterious Mr Rochester.

“Falling in love, she gradually uncovers a hidden past to the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall, a terrible secret that forces her to make a heart-wrenching choice.”

The spokesman added: “Don’t miss Blackeyed Theatre’s brand new stage adaptation of one of the greatest works of English fiction.

“Captivating, brooding and intensely powerful, Jane Eyre is a moving and unforgettable portrayal of one woman’s quest for equality and freedom, and lives as one of the great triumphs of storytelling.”

And Blackeyed Theatre will be up to the challenge.

As one critic put it: They are one of the most innovative, audacious companies working in contemporary English Theatre”

Jane Eyre is a novel from the Victorian period, by Charlotte Bronte set it slightly back in history, perhaps to disguise some biographical content.

Recent research indicates the main character may have been based on a real character, called Frances Jane Eyre, who the Brontes had probably heard of.

Sadly, however, in real life she proved to be more unfortunate in love.

Jane Eyre will come to a run at Malvern Theatres from September 24 to September 28.

Tickets: 01684 892277