Professional Documents
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Wuthering Heights Programme
Wuthering Heights Programme
Artistic Director
David Nixon
Photo: HANSON
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EPILOGUE
Heathcliff is back on the moor. An old man, he is desperate
to embrace death and be reunited with Cathy. He has lived a
lifetime without her. Finally his tired heart gives way and he falls
to his knees with his head to the heavens. As snow begins to
fall the youthful lovers return. The anger of the past is buried
as, liberated from anger and betrayal, they are reunited in their
innocence and love.
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A book like no other
Where to start? When I was 13, seeing the play on television, including his Parson father, and turned into a drug-taking drunkard, falling
starring, unbelievably, Richard Todd as Heathcliff (what I desperately and inconsolably in love so inappropriately with his employer’s
wouldn’t give to see that again!) and the wonderful, passionate wife. Emily didn’t survive him long, unlike Heathcliff who longs to die when
actress Yvonne Mitchell, as Catherine. Like Catherine she too his soul mate Catherine dies in childbirth. Emily knew all about drink,
died young. I had never read the book and the next Saturday betrayal and deep depression from her own brother. And that he took
off I went to Woollies with my saved up pocket money to buy drugs just under the Parsonage at the Black Bull public house. Charlotte
a copy, price 3s 6d, about 17p in today’s money. Sadly I lost felt that Heathcliff was “unredeemed” but Emily forgave him and asks us
this copy over the years, but never the first impression it left on to as well. For somehow she gives us, in the full novel, the terrible revenge
me. Of course I fell in love with Heathcliff and as I grew up went that Heathcliff wreaks finally becoming resolved as he comes nearer and
looking for a Heathcliff of my own, long before we knew that nearer to Catherine and his own death, leaving the next generation to find
was a very silly thing to do which would only end in tears if you the happiness he can only share in the grave with his Catherine. Of course
found him. both Catherine and Heathcliff behave dreadfully and selfishly but there is
something above and beyond them that impels them, that moves them
As the years went by I discovered the other Brontë books; into another sphere, beyond human experience to something unearthly
went to the Parsonage and on to the moors many times; as and elemental. And it is on the moors that they are most at one, free and
a young actress played Catherine in repertory, directed by my unrestrained.
husband; had a small role in one of the films (Timothy Dalton
as Heathcliff) and adapted and directed it as a play. It is the one There is no other book like this one; it fits no simple genre. Its author read
that goes with me to the Desert Island – never mind the Bible Blackwood’s magazine and the Gothic romances of the time in particular
and Shakespeare. The Bridegroom of Barna, and poetry by Lord Byron, “mad, bad and
dangerous to know”, as indeed is Heathcliff. She certainly didn’t read
Then there is Laurence Olivier. But by the time I saw the film I Jane Austen as Charlotte did. She was an astonishing original, this book
knew Heathcliff was some kind of devil, certainly not portrayed going beyond her own experience into worlds she could at the last only
in the Hollywood version. After all, Emily’s own sister Charlotte invent. And when she died so early we lost an imagination unparalleled in
felt compelled to write a disclaimer for the second edition of the English literature.
novel in 1850 as she felt on re-reading it that Heathcliff was too
much of a savage, his revenge too sadistic and that her sister Patricia Doyle - Dramatic Associate
didn’t realise what she was writing. Well she did. She lived with
her adored brother Branwell, who disappointed all his family,
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Creative Team
DAVID NIXON
Choreographer, Director
and Costume Designer
See page 4
Patricia Doyle
Dramatic Associate
Born: Somerset, England. David has designed lighting for Theatre, Dance, Opera, Television,
Trained/Educated: Studied Fine Art at Newcastle University. Architectural Projects, and Industrials taking him from the Great Wall of
Previous work: Ali’s work has extended over a wide variety of areas including China to the Great Stage of Radio City Music Hall. Mr. Grill was nominated
carnival, sculpture, pantomime, opera and outdoor theatre projects. for a Chicago Midwest Emmy Award for Milwaukee Ballet’s Romeo and
Previous work includes Madame Butterfly and Dracula for Northern Ballet Juliet, a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lighting Design for the
Theatre, Rumblefish, Bloodtide, Lord of the Flies, The Twits, Fungus the Opening Ceremonies of the Pan American Games Rio 2007 and received a
Bogeyman for Pilot Theatre, Kes and Brassed off for Lawrence Batley Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lighting Direction for the Opening
Theatre, Huddersfield, Bollywood Jane for Leicester Haymarket, Once Upon Ceremony Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
a Quarry Hill for West Yorkshire Playhouse, Look back in Anger for Harrogate Dance credits include: Works for the Milwaukee Ballet, Atlanta Ballet,
Theatre, Where’s Vietnam? for Red Ladder’s 40th anniversary at West Ballet Met, Houston Ballet, Ballet Austin, Ballet NY, Northern Ballet Theatre,
Yorkshire Playhouse. Most recently she has been working with writer Trevor Cincinnati Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Dayton Ballet, ABT 2, Dances
Griffiths on a touring set for Camel station, and is currently designing The Patrelle (Resident Designer), numerous Choreographers and the Purchase
Little Mermaid for Dundee Repertory theatre. College Conservatory of Dance. Mr. Grill also lit the National Tour of
Highlights: Winning Best Float for Trinidad Carnival, and more recently Sweet Charity, Cinderellabration at the Walt Disney World® Resort Magic
working with 30 people and Red Ladder Theatre Company on the show Kingdom® Park, served as the Associate Lighting Designer for the Tony,
Where’s Vietnam? Dora and Oliver Award Winning Musical The Who’s Tommy, and provided
Lighting Direction for The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
Television Credits include: The Last Comic Standing II – New York,
Paralympic Winter Games 2002 Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the
Republican National Convention 2008, Larry King Live, and The Women’s
Sports Awards. He has also provided Lighting Direction for CNN’s Atlanta
Studio, the National Memorial Day and July 4th. Concerts and the
Superbowl XXXII - XXXIII - XXXV – XL – XLI – XLII – XLIII Half-time Shows.
Architectural projects include the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Museum, Salt
Lake 2002 Olympic Cauldron Park and the Florida Museum of Natural
History’s Hall of Florida Fossils. His extensive Corporate Theater credits
include Estée Lauder, Pfizer, Georgetown University, Avon, ITT, MassMutual,
Dow Jones, and Verizon. Mr. Grill has been featured in numerous
publications including Lighting Dimensions and TCI and is an Adjunct
JOHN LONGSTAFF Assistant Professor and Co-Chairman of the Design/Technology Department
Additional Orchestration at Purchase College, State University of New York.