ALTHOUGH it's not a ghost story, the spirit of Rebecca pervades in Daphne du Maurier's classic story.
She proved a hard act to follow for the second Mrs De Winter. The sinister housekeeper, Mrs Danvers, takes every opportunity to painfully remind her.
The story of Rebecca is a well-known one but the challenge for the cast was to keep it fresh.
The housewives' choice Nigel Havers plays Maxim De Winter who is both charming and mysterious.
He returns to his home, Manderley, in Cornwall, the place of his first wife Rebecca's death with the second Mrs De Winter, Elisabeth Dermot-Walsh. Her portrayal of the frightened but mentally strong wife is spot on.
But she soon realises the place holds a dark past which is guarded by Mrs Danvers, Maureen Beattie.
The minimalist but clever setting creates a rugged Atlantic coastline which provides a haunting backdrop as the secrets of Rebecca's death reveal themselves.
The play becomes darker and darker until it reaches its dramatic climax.
Rebecca runs at Malvern Theatres until this Saturday.
Review by CHRISTINE DONNELLY
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