Kneehigh Theatre: Rebecca

Peter Gray reviews Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre, where he finds yet another highly inventive and totally engaging performance from Kneehigh Theatre.

Emma Rice, the creatives and cast have excelled themselves in what they bring to the original story and the result is a recipe for an astoundingly successful stage-play. It is ‘a study’ that deservedly receives full-marks. Innovative set design, music, song and puppetry, all combine to make the production lively and highly watchable. It strikes an excellent balance between faithfully telling the tale and finding clever devices for stage adaptation. Kneehigh manage to maintain the through line intensity of suspense whilst adding the right amount of theatrical layering, comedy and surprises.

A foreboding atmosphere is created immediately as the iconic picture of Rebecca with her seductive, scary stare makes way for the opening scene to emerge cleverly from a most impressive, elaborate and innovative set. The cast demonstrate impeccable timing in their physical manipulation of the set and their ability to perform live music and song is integrated so well, adding another engaging dimension.

Full, effective use is made of the huge potential of the single set, instantly apparent as a boat descends from above as an eerie headstone to Rebecca’s sea-scape tomb. At opportune moments puppet cormorants pop up as witnesses to the action. And Jasper, the over-friendly dog-puppet also creates further incidental, yet welcome, layers of interest. Stylised acting, almost melodramatic in its form, permeates the action of the higher status characters in particular, but this most appropriately gives the impression of a view of 1930’s English high society.

In contrast, as the servants prepare for her arrival, the ‘new’ Mrs. de Winter’s (Imogen Sage) insecurities are revealed as she tentatively finds her feet in her role replacing Mr. Maxim de Winter’s deceased wife, Rebecca. She is at once given the cold-shoulder by the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Emily Raymond) whose loyalty to Rebecca is most evident.

As his new wife, she is also treated at times in a surprisingly off-hand manner by Maxim her husband, despite the ‘proper’ formality of their newly cemented relationship. The palpable presence of Rebecca seems to be a constant source of a mysterious disturbance in the characters’ lives. It is not until the denouement that all is revealed and we see the ‘new’ Mrs. De Winter emerge as a more confident woman now capable of being more in control of her life, and perhaps her man, with the potential to be “free, fierce and smart” (Emma Rice). On the way she has been on a believable journey of transformation witnessed by the audience.

Entirely appropriate comic relief is ably provided through the antics of below-stairs staff of the fictitious grand Cornish estate at Manderley, with Frith (Richard Clews) and Robert (Katy Owen) providing superbly slick repartee. The latter’s obsession with answering the telephone centre-stage and having the most seemingly incongruous conversations, openly discussing his own mother’s change-of-life problems in graphic detail is a comic foil. This is juxtaposed with the hidden, malevolent truth surrounding Rebecca’s death. The performances of the larger than life characters of Maxim de Winter’s sister Beatrice (Lizzie Winkler) and her husband, Giles (Andy Williams) are integral to the appeal and key to the success of Rebecca, as is the outlandish character of Jack Favell.

Truly, a vibrant and totally engaging experience of theatre at its very best.

Reviewed by Peter Gray on Monday 5 October,Alhambra Theatre, Bradford and runs until 10^th October; then on tour until 5 December 2015, see http://www.kneehigh.co.uk/show/rebecca.php