"Blithe Spirit" Review

by Lauren Harrington

Nowadays we could all use a good laugh. So thank god for the comic genius of playwright Noel Coward and the four leading actors in the newest revival of his play 'Blithe Spirit'.

The comedy consists of a simple plot and a wonderful cast of characters. An author (Rupert Everett) in 1940's England is looking for the subject of his next book, so he and his wife (Jayne Atkinson) host an evening of entertainment with the eccentric Madame Arcati (Angela Lansbury), an infamous medium. The initial event creates plenty of chaos and hilarity, eventually resulting in the return of the author's deceased first wife (Christine Ebersole).

The script is fast and witty and there is a twist and turn here and there. But it is really the performances of each of the actors that really brings this odd little tale alive. Everett, Atkinson, and Ebersole are dynamite as the unconventional threesome; the husband, the wife, and the ghost, respectively. They each display a wonderful talent for physical comedy, an art form that has been slowly waning in today's theatre. Everett is handsome and charming as usual but manages to make his character increasingly, and hilariously, neurotic. Atkinson is sarcastic and sharp as the wife doubting her husband. Ebersole's ghost wows the superstitious Madame Arcati, looking positively bored as she makes vases float theatrically in front of the medium's eyes. Her over-dramatic tolerance for the old woman's wonder drew many laughs from the audience.

Although each member of the cast is extremely talented and plays their roles very well, Angela Lansbury is the real star of the show (are we surprised?). Her Madame Arcati is an absolutely ridiculous ball of unending energy. Arcati's routine for preparing for a seance is one of the most entertaining moments in the show (which is saying something, considering the whole show is pretty hysterical). Lansbury dances around the stage with reckless abandon- much at the audience's delight. When Lansbury is on stage, you can't watch anyone else. She demands your attention with her bright outfits and wacky antics. Lansbury is truly a comic force to be reckoned with.

Having seen this play during the previews (which can often produce some rough performances), I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is not to be missed. It is very rare that you get a cast like this, and seeing Angela Lansbury- who has had one of the most remarkable careers spanning many decades- is an event in itself.