Spirits are still high for “Wuthering Heights,” a tempestuous, classic gothic love story published in 1847 by English author Emily Brontë. Its legacy is still honored through its namesake song written by Kate Bush, and its cult following around the world in events called “Wutherings.”
While separated far and wide from Brontë’s Yorkshire moors of the 1800s, San Diego Public Library’s Pacific Beach Taylor branch has found a way to stay connected: The Most “Wuthering Heights” Day Ever.
This will be the fourth year library branch manager Christina Wainwright has led the event honoring both the book and the song.
The idea came to her during the pandemic. In an effort to keep her community connected through reading, she spearheaded SDPL tea reads via Zoom. “Wuthering Heights” became the perfect way to come together after the pandemic.
“And then right after we read ‘Wuthering Heights,’” Wainwright said, “a friend of mine sent me the video of people ‘Wuthering,’ and she was just like, ‘why have you not done this?’”
So, what is wuthering? For that answer, you have to go back to the 2013 Brighton Fringe Festival in the United Kingdom. That's when a performance groupcalled Shambush created “The Ultimate Kate Bush Experience,” with participants dancing against a grassy backdrop in red dresses — emulating Kate Bush’s image in the music video of her 1978 hit song.
The Most "Wuthering Heights" Day has since become an annual global event. Saturday's event in Pacific Beach is the only one held in California.
“We're all coming in our red dresses. We are all ‘Cathys’ or we're all ‘Kates.’ You know, whether you're a Kate Bush fan or a Cathy Earnshaw fan from the book,” Wainwright said. “We start out in our red dresses against a green backdrop. And as the music starts, we all lift our heads up and then raise our arms up, and together we roll and fall in green. Because that's how the song starts.”
Kate Bush’s eerily high register in the song reflects Cathy's ghostly presence in the book. “The music is kind of haunting. It's very gentle,” Wainwright explained. “It has that, that kind of unearthly quality to it, which makes sense for anyone who knows the book at all.”
A student of mime, Kate Bush used interpretive movement in her performance. Wainwright offers online dancing tutorials for anyone who wants to learn the dance.
“It's just this whole thing of everyone coming together, doing this dramatic artistic movement. And it just feels beautiful. It really does. You just feel connected to each other and to the music,” Wainwright said.
This year’s Best 'Wuthering Heights' Day Ever takes place during SD Pride on Saturday, July 19. Whether you’re a Cathy or a Kate, Wainwright invites everyone to wear red or rainbow dresses and join the event.
