July 2016 Production

Blithe Spirit Review

Review by William Michaels for Sardines magazine

ATG’s cast of seven embraces the wit and charm of playwright Noel Coward in the sophisticated comedy Blithe Spirit. The humorous ghost story is directed by Linda Harris. The story is set in Kent, England, in 1934 at the home of novelist Charles Condomine. He decides to invite a medium to conduct a séance with him, his wife and friends in order to learn some lingo and “tricks of the trade” in the world of the occult.

What starts as a lark changes quickly with medium Madame Arcati’s séance. She’s a colourful character played with charm by Christine Woodhead. Woodhead’s Arcati is especially funny as she talks about how specific her diet must be before a séance, yet she eats everything in sight. However the portrayal, at times, lacks the kookiness and energy required to enhance the humour of Coward’s dialogue.

The mood starts to become spooky as the lights go down and Arcati reaches a child spirit conduit named Daphne. Things go knock in the night and the séance table shakes violently.
Woodhead does a staggering movement to Always, the favourite tune of Charles’ late wife, Elvira. The medium ends up in a trance lying on the chaise lounge.

Only Charles, played by Mark Watling, sees a change: the appearance of his dead wife. Watling’s portrayal is sometimes weak and difficult to hear making the character appear far more hen-pecked and wet than possibly was intended by the author.

Louise Nicholls’ entrance through French doors as the spirit of Elvira is spectacular — a vision of frosty beauty in a silvery sheath dress, a chiffon and ethereal over-dress and a simple, yet stylish hairdo. She portrays a woman of delightfully dry humour who is a bit jaded yet at the same time very mischievous, bent on frightening Charles’ current wife Ruth and getting Charles to herself.

Thanks to a very strong and powerful performance, there’s never a dull moment as Ruth, played with a proper tone and bearing by Kimberley Allen, at first blames Charles for being drunk. She soon reveals her jealous nature once she realizes that a spirit rival is living in the house with her and her husband. Allen’s strong yet vulnerable Ruth keeps the pace of the show moving whilst her brilliant array of facial expressions tell you what she is thinking without even a word spoken.

The story becomes a sort of comedy of manners as Charles admonishes Elvira, whom Ruth can’t see, and Ruth thinks her husband is insulting her. Charles even begins to enjoy going on outings with his ghost wife and asks his current wife to be welcoming to her.

The play is full of snappy dialogue as well as numerous sight gags as various characters try to address an Elvira that they can’t see as she moves around the room. And of course, Elvira has a running, sarcastic commentary as Ruth speaks to her husband.

I must also give credit to the superb characterisations of the other cast members: John Desbottes, Mori Bates and especially Carolyn Screech for adding much needed pace pick-up whenever she was on stage.

The story escalates as it moves along, but you’ll have to see the show to learn how as I don’t want to give away the farcically, funny plot.

The ATG actors do a great job of not registering that they are seeing each other when they’re not supposed to. Sound and special effects are well executed, too, including the music, doors opening and slamming at spirits’ will, and more ectoplasmic mayhem.

I feel I must also commend the company on the fantastic set and lighting design. My only criticism technically would be that the scene changes were at times a little too bright, but I would rather see the stage crew than have any of them drop something or fall in the dark.