Reviewed by Tony Annicone
RISE’s current production is “Blithe Spirit”, a farce by Noel Coward. This show focuses around the paranormal experience of Charles Condomine, a novelist and socialite of Kent, England. In search of inspiration for his new novel, Charles hires an eccentric medium for research purposes, and ends up in contact with the spirit of his first wife, Elvira, who makes her presence well known, much to the consternation of his second wife, Ruth. Add their doctor, his wife and a dippy, half-witted maid to the ingredients of this farce. At the time Coward wrote this play in 1941, England was in the grip of World War 2, and death was not a humorous topic.
Nonetheless, Coward had been thinking about writing a play about ghosts for awhile, and when he finished it, he commented without modesty that “I knew it was witty, I knew it was well constructed, and I also knew it would be a success.” “Blithe Spirit” has been a success both onstage and onscreen, with television, radio and musical adaptations celebrating its outrageous attitude toward death with the Noel Coward type humor. Director Eric Barbato picks seven topnotch performers for these madcap roles and they deliver the laughs in spades all night long.
Eric blocks the show beautifully and obtains strong performances in these roles. He also designed the set and the beautiful 1940’s costumes are by Freya Ruusu Hainley. The lighting design by Gordon Dell and special effects by Royal Laurent are terrific in the seance scene and for the ghosts, too. Royal and his crew set effects are an important ingredient in this show when it falls apart when Charles leaves the ghosts at the end of the show. Playing the lead role of Charles Condomine is Michael Martins who not only delivers his lines with an impeccable British accent but delivers his over 700 lines excellently, too. He excels at playing this enormous role, capturing the pompous behavior of a well respected author. Michael has a lot of chemistry with the other cast members, delivers his lines with high energy and commands the stage in this role. He is reminiscent of a young Nathan Lane and has oodles of talent.
Kim Harper does a wonderful job as the worried and put upon second wife, Ruth, who gets caught up in Elvira’s web of deceit. As Ruth, she must contend with Elvira’s crazy antics, Charles’ strange behavior and Madame Arcati’s wacky tantrums. Kim makes the audience empathize with Ruth’s predicament. Sarah Reed plays the seductive and mischievous siren Elvira, excellently and is one of the biggest scene stealers of the show. She is clad in a gray negligee, wears gray make up on her face and has bright red lipstick on. She oozes sex appeal as she returns to claim Charles for her own again. Elvira carries a vase with flowers, turns on the gramophone and loves scaring Ruth who can’t see her. Sarah is ethereal and topnotch in this part. She gives the audience many laughs at her wild and crazy antics. One of her funniest lines is “Tell the silly old bitch to mind her own business.” Her crying scene is hilarious.
Another scene stealer in this show is Erin Coughlin Tower as Madame Arcati. She wins many laughs during her scenes. Is Madame Arcati a physic or not? Erin screams, yells and faints while conducting seances to help Charles get rid of Elvira. Steve Small and Rebecca Tung play Dr. and Mrs. Bradman who witness the first seance when Elvira comes back to life. They deliver energetic performances as this bickering couple at the seance and are hilarious in the second act when she says the servants are leaving the house like rats on a sinking ship while he imitates Charles’ reprimanding Elvira in the bedroom. Brittney Simard plays the scatterbrained maid, Edith. Her running back and forth to answer the door and using a funny slow walk when yelled wins her much laughter. Edith’s hidden secret in the last scene has to be seen to be believed. It brings back happy memories for me having directed it back in 1981 and 2006. So for a delightful trip back to the 1940’s, be sure to catch “Blithe Spirit” at RISE before the ghosts disappear for good.
BLITHE SPIRIT (8 to 17 June)
RISE Playhouse, 142 Clinton St., Woonsocket, RI
1(401)441-5011 or www.ristage.org
