Blithe Spirit

The play started promptly at 7.30pm and we left the theatre at 10 25. The playing of a Noel Coward song before each act gave me pause for thought about how much the world has changed in 60 years. Coward represented a very different way and pace of life, one which is now alien to us in the modern world. Blithe Spirit stands the test of time as an entertainment as it has certain quaintness, nostalgia and is very funny. 
 

As is usual with Portishead Players plays, the curtains remain closed until the start of the play... this usually affords audible surprised delight when the audience first has sight of the latest set. He Blithe Spirit set was no exception, we saw a clean and fresh drawing room admirably designed, built and painted by the Players technical team.

Much of the play takes place in the artificial light of evening or natural daylight. There was an onstage switch to ‘dim’ the lights when required.  Visually lighting was good. Music played on the old gramophone, the song ‘Always’, was important to the action, and the timing of the placing of the gramophone needle and hearing the song in the auditorium was spot on. In the finale, the special effect team excelled, a ‘poltergeist’ sent ornaments and books from shelving and the piano crashing to the floor. This was very effective as the performers had left the stage and I for one was not expecting this to happen… very well done.

   The costumes and hairstyles were a delight. The hairstyles were appropriate to the period and the ladies dresses were a joy. Ruth Condomine wore  beautiful dresses. She was elegant and refined.  Elvira looked every inch the beautiful ethereal spirit in pale grey organza with a delightful glitzy sparkling cap. And Madame Arcati was every inch the eccentric medium in her velvet robes and diamante encrusted cloche turban! Charles Condomine wore elegant suits, pajamas smoking jackets and stylish cravats. Edith looked every inch the ladies maid in her black and white costume with ruche lace headband. Mrs Bradman wore a beautifully elegant evening dress and day dress and Dr Bradley evening dress.  The story and direction naturally fall together..... In the first scene Charles and Ruth Condomine set the scene with reams of wordy dialogue…. this was delivered at such a slow pace it  was not very interesting; both characters appeared insecure in dialogue so it didn’t flow as would a natural conversation. Several prompts were taken which further added to the slow pace. Charles making a Martini served to stimulate interest in what I feared was going to  be a long and wordy play but I realised as the play continued that the first act was a scene setter in that Charles and Ruth…apparently a happy couple, were in fact not happy at all. When the Bradman’s and Madame Arcati joined proceedings the whole play came to life. Scene 1 was not poorly directed… just hesitant delivery of very wordy dialogue.

The pace improved with scenes two and three. In Act 1 the pace was very good as the dialogue became more animated and angry… even fiery at times and of course funny. But with every entrance Madame Arcati lifted proceeding with her comedy, mannerisms and sheer comic timing… a wonderful performance. It was as if everyone including the always effervescent Elvira were just pawns in Arcati’s production! The director and the whole cast have my admiration for making this long winded period classic tale into a watchable and enjoyable comedy. Positioning was good, sound was good, and the audience could easily see and understand the progression of the story. In the final scene everything became clear - that it was all the fault of the maid Edith acting as a conduit for the flow of Elvira’s spirit into the house. As Charles Condomine left the room, the unexpected falling of ornaments and china as an angry poltergeist reacted to the banishing of two spirits Elvira and Ruth, was pure delight!

The principals were mostly experienced performers  and all rose to the occasion for this classic play. They played their roles very well with Elvira and Madame Arcati  standing out for their excellent perfomances.

Portishead Players never shirk a challenge and they rose to the occasion again to present a polished entertaining classic.  The good sized audience showed their appreciation to the performers with well earned applause.  Perhaps it had a slow, start and perhaps there hadn’t been as many laughs as I expected, but this was another successful evening for the Players and the audience.

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