The Stage June 26, 1997

Blithe Spirit

Blithe Spirit, in its new production at the
Festival Theatre, is a fine memorial to the
author. Within this play, Coward created real
people whose own characteristics and beliefs
remain identifiable and which are carefully
developed by director Tim Luscombe.  The
concept of a novelist seeking to provide
research material for a new book by inviting
a local medium to dinner, with the local
doctor and his wife to add to the party,
makes good sense. The way in which this
develops with the ghostly reappearance of his
first wife and his eventual hounding from the
scene by the spectres of his two wives,
provides much hilarity and food for thought
on the subject of the hearafter.  The medium,
Madama Arcati, is central to the play. In the
hands of Dora Bryan, she is beautifully fey,
reverent, dotty, eccentric and excitable -
all characteristics which are underpinned by
superb body language.  Charles Condomine is
faced with the problem of communicating with
his second wife, Ruth, while having to
respond to the spirit of Elvira.  Steven
Pacey is particularly good at dealing with
the triangular conversation. Ruth,
understandably confused, and not a little
angry, is a great success for Belinda Lang,
as is the nervous, always aiming to please
maid, played by Marilla Robson.  Twiggy
Lawson, as the deliciously haunting Elvira,
excels in her responses to the situation. Dr
and Mrs Bradman, Laurence Kennedy and
Charmian Bradwell, provide a fine balance to
the cast.  Beautifully dressed in an
appropriate set by Tim Goodchild, the whole
piece is ideally articulated.

Michael Sell