“Resurgam” Puts a Modern Spin on a Brontë Classic
“What would your life look like with no responsibilities?”
This is the question at the centre of Resurgam , a new solo show, infused with original jazz
songs written by Dhara. The play will debut next month in Barnes as part of the line-up for the
Fireside and Folktales Fringe, curated by Emma King-Farlow of Shadow Road Productions. It
reimagines the literary heroine Jane Eyre as a modern-day bar owner of the recently rebuilt
Thornfield’s Bar, and takes place on the night of the reopening concert. There, Jane (in this
version, Janey) takes centre stage for the first time, and shares her story in her own words.
Drawing on both autobiographical accounts of the performer and the fictional, but transcendent,
friendship of Jane and Helen in Jane Eyre , Resurgam explores the legacy of the unnoticed, and
the hope for new dreams amid the ashes.
The piece was co-written by performer Dhara, and director Emma Denson, who initially met in
Dhara’s Teddington coffee shop in Autumn 2024. For the two women, the play is a testament to
the inter-cultural and inter-generational friendship they found with one another, and the
everyday interactions upon which community is built.
“In an age where there is so much out there to drive us apart, our hope is that this play will
remind us of the experiences we have in common,
” says director/co-writer Emma Denson.
an homage to all the people and stories we’ve met that have made us the artists, and the
people, we are today.
”
“It’s
Resurgam will be playing on 23 and 24 May, 2026, at the Barnes Methodist Church. To find
tickets to this show, and the rest of the programming for the Fireside Folktales Fringe, please
visit: https://shadowroad.com/fireside-folktales-fringe/ .
To read more about Dhara and Emma’s work, visit their websites at https://dhara-music.com and
https://www.emmadenson.com
Dates: 23 and 24 May, 2026
Time: 1.15pm
Address: Barnes Methodist Church, Station Rd, London SW13 0NH