ANNE Bronte has been laid low by coronavirus as a play about her life loses its Haworth performance this spring.

A group of Australian actors were due to present drama The Lost Voice Brontë in the village on April 17-19.

The author, Cate Whitaker, has decided to postpone the visit by her theatre company to the district until the autumn.

She has now arranged to come to Haworth with her actors in the autumn in addition to new performances at Otley Courthouse.

The Haworth performance will be on October 3 at 6.30pm in the Old Schoolroom next to the Brontë Parsonage Museum. Pay on the door.

The Otley performances will be on October 2 (8pm) and 4 (3.30pm & 7.30pm). Visit otleycourthouse.org.uk for further information and to book tickets.

The Lost Voice of Anne Bronte is described as a Gothic tale of torment, tragedy and treachery.

Originally billed as part of the Bronte Society’s celebration of Anne’s 200th anniversary year, the play’s aim was to give the famous novelist back her lost voice.

Cate said: “The young cast are extremely excited to be coming with this moving and powerful story around the tormented, tragic, treacherous lives of the Bronte siblings and the slow rise of Anne from a shy, sweet sickly girl to become a powerful force.

“She shocks the nation in her revelation of wife abuse in her second novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, then when the critics try to close her down she comes back with a blistering attack on them in the preface to the second edition.

“She dies before she can publish it and sister Charlotte, fearful of the effect on her and Anne’s reputation, refuses its publication denying Anne her rightful place in history.”