Blithe Spirit

It was a pleasure to return to see Edenbridge Players ADS production of “Blithe Spirit”, this well known play by Noel Coward first produced in 1941 in London’s West End, which I attended on behalf of Lance Milton.

The curtains opened to reveal a well designed living room, with use made of a thrust stage to the left, together with a piano (suitably dressed) forming part of the set on the main floor of the auditorium to stage right.  Congratulations to Stewart Currie and Steve Lukas for their design and construction, and to Ulli Lukas for the dressing of the set.  

Costume for the production had been carefully thought out by Carole Ore, but I felt that in Act One, Scene 1, the men should have had evening shoes in keeping with the era when it would have been de rigueur with evening dress.  The costumes which Madam Arcati wore were excellent and conveyed the eccentricity of the character.

Edith (Rosie Newman-Bekkelund) played the role of the maid well; Ruth (Julia Bennett) acquitted herself well in this role and appeared more relaxed in the later scenes.  Charles (Darren Thomas) was very much the character and his conversation natural.  Doctor Bradman (Lee Ward) and Mrs Bradman (Liz King) fulfilled their roles well; Madam Arcati (Ulli Lucas) gave us a brilliant interpretation of that character in all of her scenes; Elvira (Alison Powell) looked and played the part of an ethereal being and with the net curtain blowing inwards added to the spirit of the play, as did Ruth (Julia Bennett) in the final scene.    The séance scenes were delightful to watch and well executed.  The ending with pictures falling off the wall etc was excellent.  The lighting was well managed to add atmosphere where required.  Sound was also managed well and on cue.   Despite the need for occasional prompt it was, overall, an enjoyable production with good clear diction and projection from all of the cast members who had worked hard.

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