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conquerthenight · 8 months

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This concept won’t leave my brain so here’s my full list of songs and scenes in Rebecca that I’d put Lydia in if she were canon. I’m going to refer to these songs with the titles and lyrics from my fan translation.

Last Night I Dreamt of Manderley

This song has virtually no changes. Lydia will be part of the shadow ensemble and cross the stage from the opposite wing as Mrs. Danvers when Ich sings “I could feel her ghost…rose to do what’s right”. While Danny gives Ich a menacing glare on Ich’s right side, Lydia will end up on Ich’s left and look up at her as if she’s pleading. The rest of the shadows will circle in on Ich with Lydia and Danny off the side at the edge of the huddle, but on opposite sides as if they’re leading the charge. Lydia, Danny, and the shadows will disperse as Ich sings “I was only 21…in Monte Carlo”

The Second Mrs. de Winter

This would be where Lydia makes her first true entrance into the plot. I purposefully left her out of Monte Carlo to emphasize the distance between her and Maxim, but Maxim will mention her briefly after Ich tells him her parents are dead by inserting a line (“I have a sister, a daughter, and an ancient grandmother, but none of them make for companionship”) that’s mostly taken directly from the novel. She would enter with Danny by following her down the stairs. Danny’s big entrance bit will be split with Lydia. Lydia would sing a few lines after Danny sings “For me no one will e’re replace the only Mrs. de Winter”about her nerves about what Ich will be like and/or her hope that Maxim finding love again will make him less distant to her (“My mother’s lying in the crypt. Another comes to Manderley. But will he come back finally changed ever?”). She’ll then stand against the bottom of the stairs because she doesn’t want to get in everyone’s way. The rest of the song would proceed as written with Frank and Danny, the newlyweds entrance, etc. with the exception of a quick introduction by Maxim between Lydia and Ich. Lydia would follow Ich, Danny, and Clarice up the stairs, but she would stop at the middle flight and sing the last verse with the staff (“What a surprise, she’s quite shy…how she fares as the second Mrs. de Winter”) and exit as the ensemble sings “We’ll have to take her as she is…second Mrs. de Winter”

She’s Still Here With Me

I explained the bare concept of this one in the post I linked above, but here is how I would stage it. As stated in the aforementioned post, this will be a duet between Danny and Lydia. The stage would be split between the morning room on stage right, and another seperate room on stage left. One of Lydia’s hobbies is playing the piano, so I would incorporate that into the song. She would play the beginning intro. The keys would face away from the audience so the hypothetical child actor wouldn’t need to actually know how to play and could just fake it, similarly to how the Phantom fake plays the Don Juan melody before “I Remember/Stranger Than You Dreamt It”. She would then step away into a spotlight to sing her verse because she’s distracted and frustrated by her inability to concentrate. While Danny sings the bridge, she would slump against the piano as the spotlight fades away. During the bridge, the set will change to the full on morning room with the lights fully on Danny, giving Lydia time to quickly exit and then reenter through the door to the morning room. Lydia and Danny will come together during the final chorus, standing on either side of the orchid pot and looking away from each other. After the final line, they’ll look at each other, Danny will sigh like Pia did in the Stuttgart production.

The Morning Room

Lydia prepares to exit, but as she does so, Ich enters as normal. Both are startled by the unexpected sight of the other. Danny notices this and tells Lydia to stay solely because she thinks Ich will be uncomfortable with Lydia being there while she makes a show of showing off all Rebecca’s things. Ich shoots Lydia a few confused looks as Danny predicted, and Lydia, believing Danny is just showing Ich the ropes, tells her to “go along with it” and that “Danny is just sentimental”. Remember to keep in mind we aren’t aware of Rebecca’s true nature until much later, so Lydia will constantly be tiptoeing around any mention or hint of past abuse and how she feels about everyone else’s opinions about Rebecca until after Maxim’s confession. Anyways, Danny says the line about how Ich “would like to write your correspondence now” and tells Lydia to follow. Lydia does this, but she pauses for a moment to glance back at Ich as if to wish her luck. She sees the cupid get broken and runs offstage to greet Beatrice and Giles. This exchange still happens offstage and is mostly the same as written, except when Bea asks where her new sister in law is, Lydia is the one to tell her aunt and uncle that she’s in the morning room.

Do You Love Me/I’m So Sorry

Ich and Maxim will be playing chess in the library. Off the side Lydia will be reading a book. When Maxim says “Blast, I underestimated you”, Lydia will look over at them and make a joking comment about how “someone finally beat him”, making Ich laugh and tease Maxim by asking “What do I get for winning?” Lydia doesn’t actually sing during the song, but just sits there listening intently to the conversation between her father and stepmother. Ich brings up the costume ball and that she thinks it would be a good idea to host it. Lydia chimes in agreeing with Ich and says she hopes Maxim will actually dress up this year. Again, we’ll insert a line from the novel but with a slight change (“You know I never dress up, it’s the one perk I insist on”). Danny enters and they talk about the cupid. Ich and Lydia share a knowing look, with Ich making some sort of gesture to imply she doesn’t want Lydia to say anything. Ich confesses to breaking the cupid and Lydia insists it was an accident because she doesn’t want Danny to be mad. Maxim is annoyed by this and tells Lydia to leave because “the adults are talking”. “I’m So Sorry” is the same as written.

Help Me Face The Night

As with “She’s Still Here With Me” the concept and additional lyrics were explained in the post I linked. Instead of Ich being in her bedroom, she’ll be on the staircase during this song and sing her verse. Maxim won’t leave the stage at all and will remain in the library pacing while the set slowly changes around him. The lights will dim on his part of the stage and when they come up on him again he’ll be leaning against the chair Lydia was sitting in in the previous scene. During his verse he’ll sit down and remain sitting for the rest of the song. Lydia will be in her bedroom, replacing Ich’s original blocking. The key will change to add an additional verse for her. The three of them will all sing the final chorus together. Ich and Maxim sing mostly in unison until the last line (with an opt up for Maxim on “Can you find me a future?”, specifically on the word future because my friend did that in our version and it’s chef’s kiss). Lydia will harmonize with them to show how she feels separated, but will sometimes end up on the same note as either Ich or Maxim because at her core she wants the same thing as they do, but in a familial sense instead of a romantic one. If anyone wants to hear how Lydia’s harmony would sound, click on this link.

Rebecca’s Room (before Rebecca I)

Lydia and Ich will enter Rebecca’s room together because they both heard Favell and Danny arguing during “She Was Attractive”. Lydia enters first on the grounds that she knows who’s in the room with Danny and Ich is nervous. Favell doesn’t notice Ich at first. He looks at Lydia, chuckles, and says “Oh, it’s just you” and right after that, he notices Ich. Danny introduces Ich and Favell. He asks Ich and Lydia not to tell Maxim he was at Manderley. Lydia offers to lead him out because she doesn’t want to be in her dead mother’s room any longer than necessary. Thus, she does not hear Danny’s suggestion that Ich dress up as Caroline de Winter.

She’s Gone

The first part of the song is the same, Ben is alone on stage. There’s some offstage dialogue between Lydia and Ich (Ich: “Where does that lead to?” Lydia: “The beach, but we shouldn’t go there” Ich: “Why not?”) and she goes down the boathouse stairs before Lydia can answer. Lydia hesitantly follows behind her. Ben sees them, he knows Lydia and they are friendly with each other. He asks Lydia who “the strange woman” is. Lydia introduces Ich as her stepmother and deliberately pauses before going to tell Ben Ich’s first name, but Ich cuts in during the pause with her “Hello, I’m Mrs. de Winter” line which will create a nice little fake out for the audience. Haha, you thought you’d get a name reveal 😈. The dialogue is mostly the same as written, with Lydia inserting a line here and there (ex. Ich asks if Ben lives in the boathouse and Ben tells Ich that no one’s allowed in there. Ich says it looks nice to which Lydia reiterates that no one’s allowed in there). Every time Ben mentions Rebecca, Lydia looks visibly upset. Ich assumes that this is just because Lydia feels bad that Ben’s afraid of being put into an asylum and that she misses Rebecca and doesn’t want to be reminded of how she died. The song ends and Maxim calls out from offstage.

“You’re Scaring Me” (before Please, My God)

Ich stays where she is but Lydia immediately runs up the stairs so Maxim doesn’t see that she was near the boathouse. She makes it about halfway but stops because Maxim appears right in front of her. He asks what they were doing at the beach. Lydia tries to explain but can’t get the words out because she knows her father is pissed. Ich takes the hint and says that Lydia was just showing her around. Maxim asks if they went into the boathouse. Ich and Lydia both insist they didn’t. Maxim glares at Lydia and yells at her (“You know I hate that damned boathouse. Why did you bring her here? Go back to the house!”). Maxim allows Lydia to pass him and she hurries up the stairs. Maxim goes up to Ich as she asks about the buoy. He then yells at her and gets in her face. “Please, My God” is completely the same as written.

Before Rebecca (Act 1 Finale)

Lydia sneaks into the ballroom unnoticed by the guests during the play out of “I’m an American Woman”. Frith announces Ich’s entrance. Ich comes down the stairs in the Caroline de Winter costume. Lydia is the first to see Ich’s costume and screams. This alerts Maxim and he looks over at Lydia. Lydia gestures to Ich and Maxim looks up at his wife. He drops his champagne glass and it shatters as he sees the costume. Beatrice, Giles, Mrs. Van Hopper, and all the other guests then notice what’s wrong. Beatrice whispers inaudibly to Giles. Giles ushers a traumatized Lydia offstage as it’s revealed that Rebecca wore the same costume last year.

She’s Gone (Reprise I)

Prior to this scene, Lydia was woken up by the rockets during “Just One Step”. She sings this song in unison with Ben from offstage, her vocals will either have been prerecorded or she’ll just be standing in the wings with her microphone on. She will not be present during “You Still Love Her” or “Why Do I Still See That Smile” as I want to keep it so that Ich is the only one who knows Maxim killed Rebecca.

Why Do I See That Smile

As mentioned above, Lydia isn’t present in this song. However she will be mentioned in it. During the part where Maxim recalls Rebecca’s “pregnancy” reveal, he’ll quote Rebecca, but instead of “Who would know it wasn’t yours? It would be mine of course and when you’re gone, Manderley will be his” she’ll have said “I’ll give you a true heir…will be his”. The line about how Maxim “will always be a fool” will include Lydia (“You’ll both stay as you are. The perfect little fools”). The rest of the song is the same as written. The dialogue after with Maxim and Ich will include additional lines (“I already failed Lydia. I couldn’t watch her put another one through all that. It’s over, Rebecca has won”).

Free Now

I know that this song was only added in for London, but I felt it would make sense for it to be here with Lydia as a character. The scene would be set back in the house. Before the song, Ich and Lydia will have a brief conversation where Ich tells Lydia that she knows what Rebecca was really like, but she will not mention that Maxim killed her. The song will start with Ich singing the first verse and chorus as written. Lydia will sing the next verse with only one change (instead of “He did not love Rebecca. He never loved Rebecca” she’ll sing “She knows now of Rebecca! I won’t hide from Rebecca!”). Ich sings “I will fight for him, making all things right for him”. Instead of what’s written, Lydia sings “I won’t let the shadows silence me. Reach out and speak again. It’s time they see.” Ich sings “Because I’m free now. Free to be with him” Lydia sings “No more me now. It will be us, it will be we”. They both sing the last line (“We’re together, we’re free”) and embrace.

They Left At Eight

Unchanged apart from Lydia is listening on the stairs with the staff and sings with the ensemble.

The Revelation (This Was All Just A Game)

Lydia enters the library while Maxim is talking to Ich on the phone. Frank asks what Dr. Baker said. Maxim asks Lydia to come over to them because he wants her to know what’s up too. The song is the same as written. Maxim reveals Rebecca was dying from cancer, and instead of Frank saying that this explains her suicide, Lydia asks if that means her mother killed herself. Maxim says “Yes, she wanted to end her life” aloud, but mutters “…and destroy mine” under his breath.

I Hear Your Voice (Rebecca Final Reprise)

Lydia passes Danny on the stairs. This is another duet between them. Lydia sings “I hear your voice…words you said”. Danny sings “Our lives were one…betrayed me”. Lydia goes up the stairs while singing the word “Rebecca” with the ensemble. She is offstage for the rest of the song and thus doesn’t know Danny plans to commit arson.

Conquer The Night

I was heavily debating whether to put Lydia in this song because it’s the love duet between Ich and Maxim, but ultimately I decided to do throw her in because I didn’t want her at Manderley during the fire. She enters with Maxim and they wait for Ich at the train station. She and Maxim are awkward with each other because they haven’t been alone post confession and don’t know how to interact now that everything’s out in the open. Lydia sees Ich and calls out to her. The three of them hug. Maxim looks at Ich and tells her she was so strong. Instead of Ich saying “It’s finally over”, Lydia says that line. Maxim doesn’t say that Rebecca “wanted to make me a murder and almost succeeded” because Lydia doesn’t know that a murder even happened. Instead he affirms that it’s over but he can’t get Rebecca’s smile out of his head. Ich says “She can’t harm us anymore” and the song begins. The format of the song is in the linked post. Since they’re unified now, Lydia won’t have a separate harmony with the exception of in the final line (“You’ve shown me what love can do”) because I like the chord it makes.

Manderley’s On Fire

The ensemble part at the beginning is the same as written. Lydia runs on stage with Ich and Maxim. Frank sings his part. Lydia sings the ensemble part that underscores Frank. Frank and Ich run off and one of them motions for Lydia to go with them. Lydia does, but stops as soon as Maxim starts singing (“The house I loved…burning lost for good”). Lydia sings “But with the house…haunts me, haunts me”. She and Maxim meet in the middle of the stage to sing the last part (“Oh my god…there’s no escape”). Just for some added angst, they stay for just a second longer than as written. The debris starts to fall and Maxim pushes Lydia offstage and out of the way before running off himself.

Last Night I Dreamt Of Manderley (Reprise)

Unchanged until the very end of the song. Instead of just Maxim being revealed after the ensemble disperses, Lydia is there too, but she’s older now because the epilogue will be set 5-8 years into the future. The actress playing Clarice will double as the older Lydia. Lydia places Ich’s hand in Maxim’s similarly to the scene in Disney’s Hunchback where Quasimodo does the same thing with Esmeralda and Phoebus. It’s her way of reaffirming that she accepts their relationship and more importantly has moved past Rebecca’s shadow. Ich and Maxim kiss as usual, then the three de Winters take hands and face away from the audience. They take a few steps upstage because “walking to the future cliché” is cute and the curtain closes.

Bonus: During the curtain call, Lydia will bow after Favell and before Danny

#no one asked #but i don’t care #i’m doing it anyway #rebecca das musical #rebecca the musical #but lydia exists #rebecca oc #lydia de winter #ich #maxim de winter #mrs danvers #jack favell #beatrice lacy #giles lacy #frank crawley #edit: added lydia’s lyrics in ‘second mrs de winter’

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