Blithe Spirit

For a play which was written over eighty years ago, eighty-three to be precise it
is one which has certainly stood the test of time, for the most part the script
could easily have been written a few years ago instead of the eight decades
since Noel Coward wrote it, apparently in one week. We must remember also this
was just after his London office was bombed and destroyed in the blitz.
Set in the front drawing room of Charles and Ruth Condomime, Charles is a
writer and has invited their friends, Dr and Mrs Bradman to a dinner party,
they have also invited Madam Arcati, a local spiritualist and medium, the main
reason being to get some material for a new book Charles is planning to write.
As the curtain opens we see Edith, the maid in the Condomime household,
Brenda Anderson was perfect in this part, always being told to slow down and
not run everywhere. Brenda played Edith as a mixture of Julie Walters in the
famous “two soups” sketch and Esma Cannon, you need to be of a certain age to
know who Esma Cannon was! Although Brenda, as Edith, was not involved a great
deal during the play she certainly made her presence felt each time she entered
the action.
Charles and Ruth are seen chatting about the ensuing evening whilst also
consuming copious amounts of alcohol, Kevin Donnelly and Vanessa Adams were
able to show just how at ease they were on stage in their respective characters
which in turn made their pairing appear so believable. I particularly enjoyed
their quiet moments when although neither spoke it did not feel uncomfortable
and give the appearance that someone had forgotten their lines.
When Dr and Mrs Bradman entered the stage, played by Roger Hewitt and
Doreen Driffield we see how the wealthy live and more importantly treat their
staff. Dr Bradman is a rather pompous gentleman who, together with his wife
and their hosts, are ready to ridicule the final guest at the dinner party, the
infamous Madam Arcati, who they all think is a little eccentric.
Madam Arcati turns up having ridden her bicycle from her home, she is a larger-
than-life eccentric who says she can speak to those who have passed over, which
she does via her spirit guide, a child called Daphne.

Emilie Knight was superb in this part and was able to portray this character
with ease. Once the rest of the hosts and guests were assembled Madam Arcati
started to “set the scene”, moving around the room waving her arms, apparently
to summon the spirits.
The Condomimes and the Bradmans sat around a table touching fingers whilst
Madam Arcati called to the spirits, asking them to give one or two knocks, we
see the table jumping and moving until it upturns and falls over.
At this point Madam Arcati goes into a trance and slumps on the settee, next
we hear a voice calling which turns out to be Elvira, Charles Condomime’s first
wife, however it appears that only he can hear the voice which causes his wife
to think something has happened to him.
Lisa Ramsey was superb as the ghost of Elvira, enjoying all the nuances of a
child who is playing tricks on her family. After the Bradmans have left Elvira
enters the room but again only Charles can see her which causes more hilarity.
After a while it becomes apparent that Elvira is not enjoying herself back in the
living world and wants to return to the spirit world where she has been for the
past seven years.
Charles calls for Madam Arcati to once again summon up her spirit guide,
Daphne, to exorcize Elvira and try to get her back “home”.
During the chaos which follows Ruth becomes more and more annoyed that
Elvira is still in the house and suspects she is trying to kill Charles in order they
will be together for eternity. They also suspect that Charles is the medium who
keeps Elvira at the house.
Elvira asks Charles to take her to Folkstone to meet some old friends, he
agrees, however when she enters the house and asks that they now leave,
Charles reveals that Ruth has taken to car to meet someone, the phone rings
and Charles hears there has been a crash and Ruth has been killed.
In the final scene we see Charles after the funeral of Ruth, however he is not
alone and the ghosts of both Elvira and Ruth enter the lounge, once again
Madam Arcati is called to try and get both ghosts back to the other side.
Charles sits at the table and Madam Arcati calls for Daphne to help her, once
again she goes into a trance and when she awakes starts talking about a white
bandage. Edith, the maid enters who has a white bandage around her head, it

turns out that she is the medium who has unknowingly been inviting the spirits

into the house.
At this point pandemonium breaks out with the doors flying open, the light
spinning around, the pictures on the wall fall and the fire explodes sending lots
of smoke into the room.
This is not an easy play to direct as there are many facets to take into
consideration such as the ghosts, making the French doors fly open plus all the
other ghostly goings on which takes place; however, Gary Gordon makes it all
happen with apparent ease much to the delight of the audience.
Congratulations to everyone involved, especially Gary and the backstage team of
Marie Chapman, Margaret Wild and Gia Parkinson, all under the direction of
Jessica Ramsey as stage manager who made all the “magic” happen.

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