Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 Gothic novel was adapted as a suspenseful film by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. This new production, adapted and directed by MTC Artistic Director Anne-Louise Sarks, takes us back to Manderley, the grand mansion where Maxim de Winter returns home with his second wife. But the spectre of his first wife Rebecca haunts the place. Questions of identity, memory and obsession play out as the psychological thriller unfolds. Stephen Phillips plays Maxim, with Nikki Shiels as his (unnamed) new wife and Pamela Rabe as the sinister housekeeper Mrs Danvers.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

Infidelity, manipulation and murder crowd in as du Maurier’s tightly knit narrative unfolds, and questions of identity, memory and obsession play out in spellbinding fashion. Performed by a powerhouse cast including Pamela Rabe, Nikki Shiels and Bert LaBonté, Rebecca promises to be one of the major new productions of the Australian stage in 2025.

When a young woman falls hard for a dashing older widower, she moves to his bewitching country estate with no idea of the dark history that lies lurking amongst the grounds. The spectre of his first wife Rebecca infuses every shadowy corner while the domineering housekeeper Mrs Danvers is a constant watchful presence, determined to undermine her at every turn.