Becoming Mrs Danvers

Written and Performed by Heather Alexander

Directed by Tina Pelini

A Tale of Twisted Karma

“Behind her eyes, burns a cinema of shadows.”

There are stories that dazzle. There are stories that disturb. And then there are stories like Becoming Mrs Danvers—quiet storms that sneak up, whispering truths we dare not speak aloud.

Meet Dani. A girl you might pass on the street and never notice, but behind her eyes burns a cinema of shadows. Abandoned in ways both literal and emotional, Dani finds refuge not in people, but in celluloid. In flickering black-and-white frames. In the unsettling stillness of gothic hallways. In Rebecca. And in her—Mrs. Danvers. Stern. Loyal. Unwavering. Dani’s anchor in a world that’s let her drift too long.

What begins as fandom becomes ritual. Costume becomes character. Identity begins to blur.

Becoming Mrs Danvers is not just a play—it’s a descent into the fragile brilliance of imagination as survival. It asks: how far will we go to feel safe? To be seen? To matter?

The story pulses with longing and loss, weaving together memory, mimicry, and movie magic. But it is Dani’s journey—both tender and terrifying—that holds us in its grip. A journey shaped by resilience, wrapped in velvet and smoke.

And just when you think you’ve understood her, the final scene rewrites everything.

We promise not to spoil the ending—but know this: it will leave you breathless.

Becoming Mrs Danvers is for anyone who has ever clung to a story to survive. It’s for the outsiders, the dreamers, the children left waiting on staircases. Come for the mystery. Stay for the mirror it holds up to us all.

Because sometimes, fantasy is not an escape. It’s a lifeline.

Dani finds refuge not in people, but in celluloid. In flickering black-and-white frames. In the unsettling stillness of gothic hallways. In Rebecca. And in her—Mrs. Danvers. Stern. Loyal. Unwavering. Dani’s anchor in a world that’s let her drift too long.

“Not all wounds bleed. Some fester into fantasy.” ·

“She built her world on shadows and silence.”

“When reality fractures, fantasy becomes the only truth.”

BY THE AWARD-WINNING PERFORMER WHO BROUGHT YOU HAVISHAM & ROOM

Outstanding, Fringe Review

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This is an exquisite performance

British Theatre Guide

★ ★ ★ ★

A beautiful portrayal by an accomplished

actor at the top of her game.

Buxton Fringe Winner Best Female Actor