On what felt like the first evening of autumn, a slight chill in the air, I walked through the sloping Arches on my way to Charing Cross Theatre. I felt a sense of excitement and eagerness to watch London’s musical premiere of Rebecca, writes Bella Christy.
Based on the timeless novel by Daphne Du Maurier, Rebecca has been crafted into numerous adaptations. Micheal Kunze and Sylvester Levay penned the original musical adaptation, and this London version is helmed by director Alejandro Bonatto and conducted by the masterful Robert Scott.
The production took a moment to grasp me, the opening scene had a vastly different tone and style to the rest of the play. However, once It had, I was hooked.
The youthful and naive heroine (played by Lauren Jones), whose name we never encounter, meets Maxim de Winter (Richard Carson) in Monte Carlo and is swept away by his charm. A charm that perhaps grows on you? I must admit their romance didn’t entice me right away. I felt the passion in their singing voices, yet the heroine’s initial awkwardness and Maxim’s bluntness did not convince me of a great love.
The production boasted three talented leads and an equally impressive ensemble. The ensemble’s spirit notably came alive after Maxim introduced his new wife to his staff at Manderley estate. Their collective energy was dynamic and invigorating, voices harmoniously complementing one another as they discussed the newcomer. The gossiping staff broke the fourth wall as they extended into the auditorium, directing their rants to those in the stalls. As I made eye contact with a member of the ensemble, I felt as though my opinion on the new Mrs de Winter was just as significant as those of the characters around me.
Mrs Danvers, housekeeper at Manderley, instils a formidable sense of fear and power from her very first entrance. Descending the spiral staircase, spine straight, she contrasts dramatically with the sweet but cowering new wife. Dressed all in black, Mrs Danvers still mourns the late Mrs de Winter, Rebecca.
Her unwavering loyalty to Rebecca, more accurately described as unhealthy obsession, becomes increasingly apparent and reaches a peak during the number ‘Rebecca’ in which she lovingly caresses the late Mrs de Winter’s unwashed bed robes. Her expression takes on a hauntingly sinister quality as she reprises this number in the Act 1 finale, ushering in a new level of eeriness, as the gothic essence of the production fully emerges. This was the moment the production won me over.
Act 2 had me enraptured the entire way, building and growing from Act 1, the relationships were becoming stronger, the plot thickening and the dark nature of the production was heightening. The opening number of the second act, ‘You’ll Always Love Her’ into ‘Rebecca (reprise)’ featuring Mrs Danvers and the new Mrs de Winter, exuded remarkable power. Their voices carried a real force, confirming the impression that the production was driven by its female characters.
Having said that, Richard Carson’s performance of ‘I’ll Never Forget Her Smile’, was perhaps the pinnacle of the play. In this emotionally charged scene, we gain a deeper understanding of Maxim’s character and it becomes a moment of catharsis and release for both Maxim and Mrs de Winter.
Rebecca was an evening well spent at the theatre. I relished in its dramatic, sinister, and vocally remarkable qualities.
Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NL until November 18th. Times: Tuesday – Saturday at 7.30pm; Wednesday at 2.30pm; Saturday & Sunday at 3.00pm. Admission: From £15.
Booking: www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk – 08444 930650
