The Hatchell With The Satchel, its me Grace.
This is a new stop on my route.
I’ve added it quietly to the satchel, just beyond the familiar postmarks, somewhere west where the air changes and stories seem to cling to the landscape a little longer. I’m talking about Exeter Northcott Theatre, and if this first delivery is anything to go by, I’ll be back.
They’ve just announced the world premiere of Daphne, a new in-house production that feels like it could only have come from a theatre willing to dig beneath the surface. Written by South-West writer Rosie Race, the play explores the inner life of Daphne du Maurier — not the polished literary icon, but the complicated, private woman behind the gothic legends.
Du Maurier’s connection to the Cornish landscape is well documented. The wild coastlines, the isolation, the sense that something might always be watching from the edge of the frame. It’s the atmosphere that shaped novels like Rebecca, Jamaica Inn and My Cousin Rachel, and later drew filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock and Nicolas Roeg to her work. But Daphne isn’t interested in retelling the greatest hits.
Instead, the play places us in one of the most turbulent periods of du Maurier’s life — when she was accused of plagiarism for Rebecca. It’s here that Race imagines her subject as arresting, funny and darkly magical, moving back and forth through time as secrets, fears and obsessions surface. The question at the heart of it is quietly unsettling: who are we when no one is watching?
There’s something particularly fitting about this story being born at the Northcott. Daphne emerged from the theatre’s artist development programme, Elevate, after Race came to their attention through the venue’s first open script window. This is a theatre backing its instincts and giving writers the space to grow — and that confidence runs through the announcement.
Race herself speaks about waiting for an idea that made her heart race, something she could already see under the lights. That idea was Daphne du Maurier. And for Martin Berry, Creative Director and Joint Chief Executive of Exeter Northcott, the production reflects a wider commitment to building opportunity and creative ecology in the region. He describes the play as full of heart, surprise and theatrical joy — with the good sense not to give too much away.
Daphne runs from Saturday 4 July until Saturday 11 July at Exeter Northcott Theatre, with audio-described, BSL-interpreted, captioned and relaxed performances available. There’s a special opening day offer for Devon and Cornwall residents, and U26 Members also benefit from exclusive pricing.
For a first delivery, this one feels like a statement.
New route logged.
Stamp applied.
I’ll be watching this stop closely
Tickets starting from £19.50. The age guidance is 10+.
Daphne tickets are now open to general sale. Exeter Northcott Members will get a 20% discount on up to 4 tickets. There is a special 20% discount on the opening day performance for the residents of Devon and Cornwall. U26 Members also receive an exclusive discount on this show.
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