Rebecca: Christopher Hampton to write English-language adaptation for new musical


The New York Times reports that Christopher Hampton is to write the lyrics and English-language adaptation of the book for the musical Rebecca, based on the Daphne Du Maurier novel.

Rebecca, to be directed by Francesca Zambello, is being developed with plans for a run in Toronto, which if successful will lead to a Broadway premiere.

The musical, written in German, had its world premiere in Vienna in 2006. That production had book and lyrics by Michael Kunze, and score by Sylvester Levay.

Rebecca was written by English novelist Daphne Du Maurier and adapted into a 1940 Academy Award winning film by Alfred Hitchcock. It has twice been adapted for British TV, the first time in 1978 for the BBC, and again in 1996 for Carlton UK Television.

The novel begins with the famous sentence "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again" ...Working as a lady's companion, the heroine of Rebecca learns her place. Life begins to look very bleak until, on a trip to the South of France, she meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome widower whose sudden proposal of marriage takes her by surprise. She accepts, but whisked from glamorous Monte Carlo to the ominous and brooding Manderley, the new Mrs de Winter finds Max a changed man. And the memory of his dead wife Rebecca is forever kept alive by the forbidding Mrs Danvers.

Rebecca was adapted into a 1940 Academy Award winning film by Alfred Hitchcock. It has twice been adapted for British TV, the first time in 1978 for the BBC, and again in 1996 for Carlton UK Television.

Daphne Du Maurier (1907 - 1989) was a English writer of short stories, novels etc. Her most famous works are 'Jamaica Inn', 'Frenchman's Creek' and 'Rebecca.'

Christopher Hampton is currently represented on Broadway with his revival of 'The Philanthropist' playing at American Airlines Theatre, and his translation of Yasmina Reza's comedy 'God of Carnage.' Hampton won a Tony Award for the book and lyrics he wrote for "Sunset Boulevard" and the original 1971 production of his play 'The Philanthropist' won the Tony Award for Best Play. The original production of Hampton's 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses' (1987) was nominated for a Tony for Best Play.

Francesca Zambello (Director) helmed the Disney production of the musical 'The Little Mermaid,' currently playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. She is the director of the musical adaptation of "Little House on the Prairie which had its world premiere at the Guthrie Theater (Minnesota) in 2008.

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