From first reading Jane Eyre whilst at school, I have never tired of revisiting this well-loved classic, and this evening's interpretation by the Northern Ballet does not disappoint.

From the very first sentence of the novel, the reader can surmise that Jane (Charlotte Brontë’s eponymous heroine) will endure a challenging and sometimes difficult life from childhood through to adulthood and will inevitably experience a full range of emotions ranging from vulnerability and despair through to joy, untold happiness and sadness. All of these emotions were well in evidence during this evenings performance.

The part of Jane was danced by Amber Lewis who was on stage throughout the performance. She has the strength of an ox, the grace of a swan and the stamina of a marathon runner. Her performance was exquisite and conveyed all of the emotions that Charlotte Brontë intended for Jane. There was vulnerability but there was also strength and purpose especially so when Jane and Rochester danced together depicting their emerging love for each other. Rochester was danced by Miguel Teixeira who similarly had no difficulty in portraying both strength and vulnerability.

Also of note was Helen Bogatch as Bertha – her deranged character was epitomised by her dancing, and further enhanced by her ragged red dress and wild hair. The red atmospheric lighting added further drama with a splash of colour to what was generally a very dark and muted set and neutral toned cast costumes.

The cast of twenty dancers also portray party guests, orphans and the ghostly D Men - figments of the young Jane’s imagination – but they never put a foot wrong.

The set and costume design by Patrick Kinmonth was both simple and muted never detracting away from the beauty, power and originality of the choreography by Cathy Marston. As ever, we have come to expect innovative choreography from the Northern Ballet and this performance does not disappoint - the diversity of the various lifts and footwork were spellbinding adding an individuality of each of the characters in turn.

The performance was further enhanced by the live orchestra led by Daniel Parkinson, the conductor. The music compiled and composed by Philip Feeney perfectly captured the various moods of the piece.

The performance ends as the lights dim leaving only Jane visible to the audience. A fitting end, as after all, she is the heroine and title of the piece.

Lyceum Theatre Sheffield until 26th April