Michael McCaffery's adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic love story, Jane Eyre comes to the town Hall Theatre at the end of this month. Lisa Regan speaks to McCaffrey about his adaptation, his passion for directing and career highlights.

One of the best-loved classics of all time, Jane Eyre takes an unconventional heroine - the plain, unremarkable governess Jane Eyre - and charts her growth to passionate, independent womanhood as she pursues her dream of marrying the man of her choice, the mysterious and tempestuous Edward Rochester.

Mysterious, sensual, secretive, brutal and often humorous, Jane Eyre is part psychological study, part fairy tale.

Featuring some of Ireland's most exciting emerging talent, this new adaptation draws on a variety of theatre and performance styles to bring this powerful, vital drama to life onstage.

Tell me about this adaptation of the classic?

This adaptation is based on the Victorian lantern. It is moody, dark and atmospheric. This piece is so theatrical due to its flair and its passion.

We are not playing with the period but just with a slightly different take on the story. There is an almost Hitchcock like tension to the performance. The tension builds across the evening. With this piece, the more you are told the less you know. There are so many different elements to this price, from gothic to the philosophical. It is so theatrical, so full of flair and passion. This adaptation is so emotional and the pitch throughout is much higher. Everyone works so hard to reach the highest point in their performance.

What sets this production apart?

It is such a big challenge; there are seven actors who play everything in the book. The actors are a mixture of both young and established actors. This is good because the youth can learn from age-old experience whilst the young actors bring a refreshing air to the performance.

Is this the first time you have put this production on in Galway?

Yes, it is a brand new production and we are actually opening it in Galway. This is a new adaptation of the classic. Everyone assumes that the play is centred around the story of Jane and Rochester, however in our production, we centred the performance around the relationship between Jane and the reader.

How did you become involved with Dublin City Theatre?

I became involved over 16 years ago and have worked on various projects since, including Wuthering Heights and The Importance of Being Earnest, so I have had an ongoing relationship with the theatre. This performance is a real challenge, one which I am really enjoying.

What brought you into theatre and onto directing?

When I was five or six, I went to my first performance in a church hall and I was just blown away. Later, when I was 13 or 14, I saw a royal Shakespeare performance and I just knew that was what I wanted to do with my life.