Jane Eyre

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatization

By: Charlotte Brontë

Narrated by: Amanda Hale, Tom Burke, Full Cast

Amanda Hale and Tom Burke star in a brand new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Charlotte Brontë's most beloved novel, adapted by Rachel Joyce.

Orphan Jane learns at an early age that self-control is the surest means of retaining self-respect in adversity. It is a lesson that serves her well in the years ahead as she endures the misery of life with her cruel, uncaring aunt, followed by the harsh regime at Lowood Institution, a charity school for poor children.

After taking the post of governess at Thornfield Hall, she meets the master of the house, the brooding, enigmatic Edward Rochester, and finds herself falling in love with him. It seems as if happiness may finally be within her grasp - but a series of strange events leads her to believe that Rochester is concealing a dark secret. When the truth is revealed, the heartbroken Jane will need all her inner strength and resilience to face up to it....

Dramatised for radio by best-selling novelist Rachel Joyce (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry), this iconic love story stars Amanda Hale as Jane and Tom Burke as Rochester. Suffused with romance, passion, mystery and danger, it is a spellbinding tale that is as real and relevant today as when it was first published in 1847.

Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

©2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Enjoyed listening to this!

This is an abridged version as many dramatizations are, and a few details from the book have been changed, but overall, it was close to the original book and I enjoyed the performance a lot.

Loved it.

Will have to listen again soon to glory in Amanda Hale and Tom Burke's glorious voices. It's always tricky in adaptations as to what to keep and what to cut for space: I thought they made some good choices.

A beautiful adaptation all around.

A classic well told

A classic well told with excellent performances and a great adaptation. I especially liked the lead actors who were well suited to their roles.

love it every time i listen! tom burke is perfect.

love it! tom burke is the perfect mr. rochester. this will always be my favorite.

Beautifully done!

Well chosen narrators that brought a rendition full of compassion to all the protagonist characters. As someone who has read this novel numerous times at different stages of maturation, I had high expectations, both from source material and the accomplished actors employed to the roles. My hopes were rightly placed and fulfilled very well. I would have loved to have seen this as a performance based on the quality of the reading!

A Well Done Dramatization

I enjoyed this rendition of Jane Eyre. It is a compact telling of the story, of course, but it manages to capture all the key interactions between Jane and Mr. Rochester

I thought it was well cast. I enjoyed Tom Burke's voicing of Mr. Rochester especially, as I felt his cadence and tone suited the character well.

I would recommend this for a reader/listener who doesn't have time to listen to the original in its entirety or for someone who, like me, gets bored due to the vast amounts of description in the original.

Great dramatisation!

What made the experience of listening to Jane Eyre the most enjoyable?

I'm a fan of the BBC Dramatisations. And this one, as all of their dramatisations, manages to transport the listener to the story and characters' world. I loved the way the sound effects and the soundtrack reinforce the dark atmosphere of the story.

Which character – as performed by Amanda Hale and Tom Burke – was your favorite?

Both Tom and Amanda performed the characters brilliantly.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely.

Any additional comments?

It's a great dramatisation. If there's any criticism, I'd say it's about its length; it's a bit too short, and it probably leaves all of the Brontë Sisters' admirers wishing for more.

Best dramatized audio

I enjoyed listening. I'm grateful for those who did this. The characters were splendid. Great listen!

Outstanding Performance

Because of his tortured character and rugged masculinity, it was difficult connecting with the part of Rochester as being read in female voice (however altered). While filing through Audible’s many offerings of “Jane Eyre,”searching for a version with both female and male readers, I came across this radiant gem. What a transfixing performance! While listening to Audible, I’m usually working out or puttering around, engaged in life’s mundane chores…until I clicked on this. After 5 or so minutes of listening, I walked into the family room, snuggled into the squishy pillows on the couch, and there I remained — immersed in this dramatic, absorbing, and spot-on interpretation/performance of “Jane Eyre” until the last spoken word. Had Charlotte Brontë joined me on my pillowy couch, I imagine she would have been pleased.
When you next have the luxury of free time, do yourself a favor and click the play button on this performance of “Jane Eyre.”

Excellent classic!

Performance and story were excellent! I would highly recommend. Very similar to the film versions.