Ever since Lewis Hallan brought a company
of actors to the colonies in 1752, American theater has been
hugely indebted to English writers, managers and actors. Even
today, decades after American theater came into its own, Broadway
and off-Broadway rely heavily on English imports. Many British
plays fit nicely into American culture and iconography. Others
do not make the crossing quite as well.
Noel Coward’s "Blithe Spirit" premiered in 1941 at
Manchester’s Opera House and then played at the Piccadilly Theatre
in London. The play later came to New York’s Morosco Theatre
where it featured such well-known performers as Clifton Webb
and Peggy Wood. And in 1945, the British film company Cineguild
turned the play into a film with Rex Harrison and Margaret Rutherford,
who reprised her original role as the medium, Madame Arcati.
Coward called his play – about an author who wants to write a
novel about a medium, invites one to his home to conduct a seance
and ends up with his deceased wife setting up residence – "an
improbable farce in three acts." And some have called the
movie a fantasy. But, at heart, "Blithe Spirit" is
nothing more or less than an English drawing-room comedy.
The Heights Players’ production of "Blithe Spirit,"
playing through Nov. 23 in Brooklyn Heights, has much to recommend
it.
Laurie Muir, who has not been seen at the Heights Players since
1986’s "The Man Who Came to Dinner," is back and steals
the show with her very funny portrayal of Madame Arcati, the
flamboyant but inept medium. Judith Meehan (the title role in
"Laura," Doris Walker in "Miracle on 34th Street,"
The Wicked Witch in "The Wizard of Oz") is seductive
and deliciously malicious parading about as the dead wife, Elvira,
in her slinky white dress and white makeup. And Dana Kelly is
excellent in the supporting role of Edith, the maid; this reviewer
would like to see her considerable comic talent put to greater
use in the future.
But the production does have its problems.
"Blithe Spirit" is a three-act, dialogue-heavy comedy
that depends to a great extent on a familiarity with British
decorum, British class-consciousness and British wit. None of
this, however, is insurmountable – if "Blithe Spirit"
is presented as a British play.
Unfortunately, director John Bourne has dispensed with the British
accents and allowed the actors (except, happily, for Muir) to
speak with an American (alas, sometimes even Brooklyn or New
York) pronunciation. This makes much of the dialogue sound stiff
and unnatural rather than quick and sophisticated. Without a
British upper-crust accent to pull the audience through the overabundance
of dialogue, Bourne would have done better to cut the play down
to its very funny essentials.
Charles (Charles Hampton) is an author and a cad, but apparently
also rather attractive to women. His deceased first-wife wants
him back, his second-wife, Ruth (Krista Gillen), doesn’t want
to give him up, and Madame Arcati doesn’t know what to do about
it.
Dr. Bradman (Tom Levy) and Mrs. Bradman (Maureen Vidal) are guests
who come to Charles and Ruth’s house to be part of the seance,
and other than making an occasional observation, the under-developed
characters seem to have no more function in the play than to
give Charles and Ruth someone to speak to besides each other.
Much of the play’s humor comes from Charles’ attempts to balance
the demands of both his living and dead wives and the hide-and-seek
game of seeing but not being seen. And of course, let’s not forget
Coward’s lethal assault on marriage, fidelity, domesticity and
convention.
"Blithe Spirit" has some very clever visual effects
and a sumptuous set designed by Bill Wood. The acting ranges
from praiseworthy to adequate. And, oh yes, at times it’s really
very funny.
Heights Players presents "Blithe
Spirit" through Nov. 23, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm,
and Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets are $12, $10 seniors and students.
The Heights Players is located at 26 Willow Place at State Street
in Brooklyn Heights. For reservations, call (718) 237-2752.
