CHARLOTTE Brontё’s masterpiece Jane Eyre is being brought to audiences at a theatre next week.

A Gothic tale of tempestuous passions and dark secrets, it tells the story of an orphan’s 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.

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

Blackeyed Theatre will perform Nick Lane’s adaptation of Brontё’s 1847 novel at the Gala Theatre in Durham on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7.30pm.

In the company’s trademark style, the play will feature an ensemble cast of actor-musicians. There will also be live music written specially for the production by the award-winning composer George Jennings.

Director and producer Adrian McDougall said: “What we produce will, I hope, induce that same intensity of feeling you get when you read the book: the joy, the despair and everything in between.

“It is a searing celebration of female empowerment.”

Tickets cost £15, £13 for concessions and £12 for Gala members. To book, visit www.galadurham.co.uk or call 03000-266-600.