This musical adaptation offering a faithful rendition of the classic tale, with impressive performances and innovative staging
Following successful productions in 12 countries around the world, the musical adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s 20th century classic finally finds its way to a London stage, 17 years since its world premiere in Vienna, Austria.
Written by the acclaimed duo of Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay, and adapted in English by Christopher Hampton, another theatre and film legend, this musical adaptation of Rebecca remains true to the original storyline and captures for the most part the essence of the 1938 Goth classic.
While in Monte Carlo, working as a travel companion for a wealthy New Yorker, our young and timid protagonist, referred to as “I”, meets the recently widowed and ever-so-charming Maxim de Winter, whose former wife, Rebecca, had drowned the year before in a tragic accident. Maxim is quickly fascinated by I’s authenticity and honesty, while I, in turn, feels flattered by the attention of a handsome, upper-class gentleman, and in a Disney-like manner, the two of them decide to get married straight away. When the newlyweds return to Mr. De Winter’s estate in Manderley, however, Mrs. De Winter is treated with skepticism and uncertainty by the staff, especially by Mrs. Danvers, the estate’s housekeeper, whose obsession with Rebecca becomes more and more evident as the story progresses. In her effort to find her place both in Manderley and in Maxim’s heart, I finds herself in mysterious and stressful situations, until the truth is ultimately revealed.
While the production stays true to the era’s essence and style, it lacks a truly gripping emotional impact. This is partly because the audience hasn’t had sufficient time early on to develop deep connections with the characters. For the biggest part however, the reason lies in the way music and sound are used in this production.
The score and lyrics of the songs are beautifully written, but they tend to repeat themselves quite often (especially snippets of “Rebecca”), which prevents the audience from fully feeling the escalating tension of each event and instead circles them back emotionally to the same moment again and again. The score also prominently features percussion instruments, which evoke a sense of intensity, in contrast to the more traditionally tension-inducing sounds associated with string instruments, particularly the violin, which are not as present. Moments of silence, or of dialogue that are not underpinned with music, are also quite rare throughout the play, and it’s often the silences that create the biggest amount of tension and make the music even more impactful when it finally comes through.
The clever use of video projections is praiseworthy, a very effective yet underused element in theatre. The plot unfolds in many different locations and the various projections help us better grasp the atmosphere of each scene.
Praise should also be given to the concurrent use of fans and fog machines, which create a multisensory experience for the audience. Nature is often used in gothic novels as a way of reflecting and amplifying the psychological states of the characters and it is a very inspired choice to incorporate those elements in the production. This idea could have been explored even further, through the use of a wider soundscape of nature sounds, especially animal sounds, which can also add to a feeling of unease.
The entire cast gives incredible performances, and the fine-tuned ensemble pieces help keep up both the pace and the stakes. Lauren Jones is perfectly cast and fully embraces her character’s journey.
Watching this story in 2023, it’s hard to overlook that it is propelled by internalised misogyny, with a romanticised portrayal of Maxim’s actions and a lack of accountability for them, framed as unwavering love and loyalty. While the presence of these themes is widely accepted as a critique, not as an endorsement, I found it hard to root for the love story between the two main characters.
Nevertheless, Rebecca remains and will remain a timeless and beloved story, and this musical adaptation definitely does the story justice.