20th - 26th February 2023

Drama Studio, Sheffield

CREW LIST

Co-Stage Manager - Beth Pugh 

Co-Stage Manager - Jess Hodgson

Assistant Stage Manager - Anna Davison 

Acting Assistant Stage Manager - Katie Carthew 

Costume Designer - Lily Feil

Costume Assistant - Anna Davison 

Sound Designer - Jake Kalender

Lighting Designer - Heather Ellis 

Set Designer  -Dylan Morgan 

Publicity - Tom Brown 

Reviews

University of Sheffield Light entertainment Society 

SUTCO’s production of Wuthering Heights, adapted from Brontë’s novel by April De Angelis and directed by Kirsty Lucas and Phoebe Cookson, was a brilliant production which perfectly juxtaposed the tragedy of Wuthering Heights with the comedy and atmosphere to unique to student theatre, creating a thoroughly emotive and enjoyable theatre experience. 

Matthew Heppell (Heathcliff) and Ella Hulford (Cathy) effectively portrayed consistent characters while effectively showing their growth, portraying a wide range of emotions across a significant period of time in their characters lives. The changes in their behaviour and the progression of the story felt seamless. Additionally, this production managed to balance the toxicity of Cathy and Heathcliff’s characters with the need for the audience to be invested in them and their relationship very skillfully, which is no mean feat. The range portrayed by Isabella Gualano as Nelly was impressive, she managed to show an excellent range of emotions as well as a parental figure and servant 

Despite the seriousness of the main characters, the show was filled with comical moments which led to a wonderful theatrical atmosphere for the final night of the production which USLES attended. CJ Simon as Edgar Linton getting attacked with a dessert was hilarious, and we wish he’d been attacked with more desserts throughout the play. Oscar Pike’s portrayal of Lockwood’s character made me cringe and laugh with every other line, and even made the person next to me audibly groan in disgust. I couldn’t understand most of what Joseph (Liam Speak) was saying but all of it was amazing, his facial expressions were so good (especially with the lighting) that I actually forgot that this man was a young chipper physics student and not an angry and bitter old man. I’d also like to give an honourable mention to Francis’s death scene (played by Katie Carthew), and Linton Healthcliff’s iconic sickly little boy (played by Ben Sanderson).  

The sound and lighting beautifully complimented the mood of each scene. The choices in music seemed periodically accurate, while still being appealing and accessible to modern audiences.. The set and prop design was very effective. I recognised reused pieces of furniture- and despite not being bought for the show, they worked perfectly within the set. I appreciated how minimal the changes in set and props were. It allowed for seamless transitions between scenes even if they were in different houses, avoiding the audience having to sit through potentially slow or awkward set changes. 

Overall it was a great show and the USLES crew who went had a wonderful time watching it!

Sheffield University Performing Arts Society 

Last night, the Drama Studio was transformed into the wild and stormy North Yorkshire Moors as SUTCo’s first production of semester 2, ‘Wuthering Heights’, opened for its first of 3 nights. As I took my seat, I couldn’t help but anticipate the way in which the highly famous gothic novel would be translated onto the stage. Sitting at the heart of Romantic literature,  ‘Wuthering Heights’ influence in the cultural sphere is something that has spanned centuries, with central characters such as Cathy and Heathcliff that hold the significance of household names. With the ring of the bell, silence fell upon an eager audience, ready to see how SUTCo would interpret one of the most celebrated novels in British literature. 

Having enjoyed ‘The Madness of King George the III’ last semester, I had high expectations for the standard of acting and production that would bring the Heights to life, and it’s safe to say I wasn’t disappointed. I must begin by applauding Ella Hulford and Matthew Heppell’s impressive portrayals of the two lead roles, Catherine and Heathcliff. Hulford’s Catherine was captivating throughout, with Heppell’s Heathcliff being equal parts haunting and heroic. Both characters’ powerful emotional displays perfectly encapsulated the Romantic genre, with their transgressive relationship being fully believable and enthralling. As the two cast members with arguably the most pressure on their shoulders, they should definitely be proud of the bewitching performances they gave. 

Another impressive feature of the performance was the utilisation of lighting and sound. Credit should be awarded to the tech team, whose lighting and sound designs were highly atmospheric and effective, with very few mistakes made despite it being opening night. I particularly enjoyed the consistent use of sound effects to portray certain motifs, such as the rain that underscored Heathcliff’s final scene at the end of the show. As someone who has studied the novel, it was nice to see that some of the key symbolisms that run throughout the text were maintained to reinforce the themes presented on the stage. 

While some of the performances flew slightly under the radar, special mention must be given to Liam Speak’s hilarious presentation of the rough, miserable housekeeper Joseph, who added comedic relief to the intense and gripping scenes of the play. The same can be said for Ben Sanderson’s exaggerated portrayal of Linton Heathcliff, effectively representing the character’s haggard spinelessness in a truly unlikeable manner! Additionally, CJ Simon’s Edgar Linton was a perfect dichotomy to Heppell’s Heathcliff, with his pompousness and stage presence, alongside Darcey Severne’s Isabella Linton, being thoroughly enjoyable to watch. 

Finally, the stand-out performances for me were Oscar Pike’s Mr Lockwood, and Isabella Gualano’s Nelly Dean. Within the first few minutes, Pike’s Lockwood had the audience in stitches. While I had my initial doubts about the artistic choice to portray Lockwood as a flamboyant, comedic character, these doubts were quickly dispelled as I found myself laughing out loud at his one-liners, delivered with excellent timing and tone in a way that effectively lightened some of the darker scenes in the play. Additionally, one of the best performances of the night came from Isabella Gualano as Nelly, whose character was present throughout the entirety of the show. Throughout the performance, which lasted around a sizable 2 and a half hours, Gualano showed her diverse talent, giving both serious, poignant performances that couldn’t help but captivate the audience’s attention, alongside lighter, more laughable moments in her interactions with Mr Lockwood. The pair brought this otherwise lengthy performance to life, with their convincing chemistry providing some of my personal favourite moments of the night. 

Overall, As the audience filed out at the end of the night, I’d find it hard to believe that any of them left the building feeling dissatisfied. SUTCo’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ definitely lived up to my expectations, and set an exciting tone for what we can expect from them over the rest of the semester. The cast and company as a whole have a lot to be proud of: they’ve taken a complex and challenging narrative, and brought it to life in a way that was enthralling from start to finish. I highly recommend taking a trip to the Drama Studio to watch this thrilling show while it is running this week. Congratulations to all involved!