Our first play of the season is ‘My Cousin Rachel’ by Diane Morgan adapted from the novel by Daphne de Maurier. She wrote many well-known novels ‘Jamaica Inn’, ‘Frenchmans Creek’ ,’Rebecca’ all made into successful films. You may know Hitchcock‘s film ‘The Birds’ and the seventies horror film ‘Don’t Look Now’ with Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland. Both of these were stories written by Daphne du Maurier. She tells a good story and is notorious for her endings.
‘My cousin Rachel’ is an innocuous sounding title – cosy endearing warm. It is none of those things. Set in Cornwall this is a play about obsession – a psychological thriller that challenges the audience’s sympathies. An excellent storyteller like du Maurier, deserves an excellent cast and we have that. When you come to see the show in the Autumn, you will, like audiences and readers over the last 60 years be left to decide whether cousin Rachel is a vulnerable, misjudged widow or a villainess.
Carol Davies is directing My Cousin Rachel 28th September – 5th October. Tickets £9 www.millgateartscentre.co.uk