Last night I went to see the Melbourne Theatre Company production of Rebecca, based on the Daphne Du Maurier novel. It was the first MTC show I have seen since before COVID. My sister and I used to go to every season together, but we can’t do it any more, since we take turns looking after our mother. So these days I buy the occasional ticket to something and go on my own, during the week instead of Saturday. And I have been to two Bell Shakespeare shows this year - Henry V and Coriolanus. I’ll be seeing another Shakespeare play next month, Much Ado About Nothing, also by the MTC. It’s one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, I do love romcoms!
Speaking of Much Ado, one of the cast of an earlier MTC production of it was in Rebecca last night. Pamela Rabe, an actress I love, was Mrs Danvers, the spooky housekeeper. She is older now, of course, so won’t be playing Beatrice or Katherina (Taming Of The Shrew) as she did all those years ago. But she played a plum role for an older woman. There really aren’t enough of those, so good to see her get one.
It’s a cracking Gothic piece. I admit that I hadn’t read the book or even seen the film. I got a download of the novel last night. I couldn’t resist seeing the show, though. It’s one of those stories that everyone knows something about, even if they haven’t read it. I even remember a Rebecca skit on the Carol Burnett Show.
There were only four cast members, of whom I’ve only heard of Pamela Rabe, but they managed to convince me that they were different characters. In fact, two of them, Max De Winter and the young wife, played only one role each, so the other two carried the other roles between them.
The sets and props were impressive too.
If you are in Melbourne, or can get here, it’s on for several more days and is well worth a visit.
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