“…kudos are in order for the collective effort of Beryl Bain, Jessica B. Hill and Andrea Rankin in trying to draw us into the 19th Century world of the three Bronte sisters — Charlotte, Emily and Anne…

At the same time, it’s their misfortune to be marooned in a problematic production of a play that fails to get beyond the surface of a literary mystery that continues to intrigue….The self-destructive Branwell is an offstage presence in Jordi Mand’s play. He’s the hidden menace here..”

“Brontë: The World Without does indeed show us a world without – without conflict, without characterization, without substance or style…Mand proved herself a talented writer with a show called Between the Sheets, developed and premiered by the independent company Nightwood in Toronto back in 2012.

The largest not-for-profit theatre company in the country, with all its resources, seems to have transformed her into a bland one. Stratford has let her down and, in turn, audiences by letting this pointless period piece make it all the way to production.”

“Discovering more about great artists through art works about them can be rewarding — think Thirty-Two Short Films about Glenn Gould — but is also fraught with potential problems. How to represent creativity and inspiration, which are internal and complex?…

This is Mand’s fourth play and a big opportunity to advance her career at one of the country’s most prestigious and best-funded theatre institutions, but systems that one would have hoped would support her have left her and her actors exposed.”