Blithe Spirit

Ghost of a Chance

Blithe Spirit

by Noël Coward

The Questors at the Judi Dench Playhouse, Ealing until 5^th October

Review by Polly Davies

A nicely polished performance of Noël Coward’s ethereal comedy made for an enjoyable evening in the Judi Dench Playhouse.  Under Frances McInally’s direction the wit was sparkling, the ghosts were ghostly, the speech was suitably clipped, the set and costumes were perfectly in period and the special effects were marvellous.  And being greeted with the news that special cocktails were being served that night added to the 30’s feel of the play.  Such a shame I was driving.

Although it is not mentioned in the notes I really believe that Noël Coward must have attended such an evening as he depicts in Blithe Spirit, and been supremely unimpressed by the very idea of psychic happenings.

I arrived to see Alex Marker’s beautiful art deco interior set, which I would have happily moved into, and which set the mood for the evening. 

Charles and Ruth Condomine are waiting for their guests to arrive to join them for dinner and had arranged an after-dinner entertainment.  This is to be a séance, overseen by the famed medium, Madame Arcati.    The interaction between Robert Seatter and Kate Langston’s Mr and Mrs Condomine ably demonstrated the playful weariness of a couple well into their second marriage.  Their characterisation as urbane husband and sophisticated, but wary, wife was a perfect example of the somewhat louche upper class society of the time.

We soon saw the first entrance of Sweta Gupta, perfectly channelling her Acorn Antiques waitress as the comically clumsy and nervous maid Edith, over-polite, anxious to please yet clearly exasperated with her demanding master and mistress.

The arrival of their guests Samantha Moran and Anthony Curran as Dr and Mrs Bradman soon confirmed that the host intends them all to have a fun evening which nobody intends to take seriously.  There was more subtle humour here and later as the doctor manages to frustrate his wife’s desire to have just another drink at every opportunity.  It also gave us time to enjoy the second of the many beautiful 1930’s dresses chosen by Nicola Thomas, who also designed the extraordinarily believable ghost costumes.

Dinner over, the arrival of Mrs Arcati gave us the chance to delight in Annabelle Williams jolly hockey sticks version of the eccentric medium.  Throwing herself about with abandon as the hapless psychic, with her spirit-child guide, she persuades the others to join her attempt to reach the “other side”.  After a lot of mumbo jumbo and a convincing trance nothing seem to happen and believing herself unsuccessful she leaves.  But the spirits are not so easily tampered with, and soon the fun begins.  A ghostly apparition causes much mischief causing grief to the hosts and delight to Mrs Arcati.  A return to normality is celebrated by Charles in a lively jazz dance, but normality doesn’t reign for long.  More ghostly appearances, an unexpected death, a surprising revelation and yet more comedic psychic interventions follow, leading to a spectacular series of special effects as the ghost takes revenge on the household.

With such a skilled ensemble it is somewhat invidious to pick out anyone’s performance, but Claire Durant’s performance was delightful, alternately coy, mischievous, and demanding, she was a very convincing Elvira. 

First nights will be bound to have the occasional glitch, and on the night a couple gave us a chance to enjoy a great bit of in-character improvisation by Robert Seatter and Kate Langston.

Polly Davies, September 2024

Photography by Robert Vass