Blithe
Spirit, a classic farce by Noel Coward, takes place in the
living room of successful British novelist Charles Condomine and
his second wife Ruth, who have invited the Bradmans over for a
séance with psychic medium Madame Arcati. All are highly
skeptical of Madame Arcati's true ability to reach "beyond
the grave;" however, they humor her so Charles can get material
for a book he is researching. Everyone, including Madame Arcati,
is completely taken by surprise when the ghost of Charles' spoiled
and selfish first wife Elvira actually appears and, even more troubling,
refuses to return to the spirit world.
Charles soon realizes the dangers of dabbling in the occult when he discovers that Elvira is hatching a diabolical plot that involves murder! What ensues is a wacky romp through this world and into the next, complete with surprising twists and disastrous results.
The production was co-directed by Guy Sanville and Anthony Caselli. Portrayed by an ensemble cast of seven performers, Malcolm Tulip, Janet Maylie, Michelle Mountain, Randall Godwin, Terry Heck, Sandra Birch and Kate Peckham. Blithe Spirit was presented for an eleven-week engagement from June 19 through August 30, 2003.
Critics' QuotesPlay has scream
spirit: Noel Coward’s Martin F. Kohn Purple Rose blithely brings Spirit to
life "...brilliantly zany production... The great Sandra Birch works herself into such bellowing lathers of ectoplasmic dedication that one senses one is watching one of the master comediennes of our time. The same goes for (Janet) Maylie, whose deadpan dropping of acid Cowardisms is screamingly funny... Bartley H. Bauer’s great-white-hunter set must be seen to be believed, so come see it. It’s ideal for (Malcolm) Tulip, who in Charles’ final leave-taking from his spirit wives lets loose a non-PC fusillade of macho rant that would leave just about any actor living or dead stunned with envy. And audience stunned with laughter." Christopher Potter Purple Rose’s Blithe Spirit offers up plenty of laughs "This production drips with laughter...
Directors Guy Sanville and Anthony Caselli channel directly
into the world of British upper-crust dottiness and add an
American energy that propels the humor at warp speed... (Malcolm)
Tulip delivers a delicious performance, segueing from bug-eyed
astonishment when his first wife reappears from the dead
(only he can see her), Terry Pow Blithe Spirit a must see "For a rollicking good time and lots of jolly good laughs, Noel Coward’s play, Blithe Spirit at the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea is a must... The acting is among the best that I’ve seen at the Purple Rose. The pacing is perfect, the delivery does justice to Coward’s complex verbal character interplay... Janet Maylie does an incredible job of portraying Ruth, who is hysterically funny, losing her cultured balance when she realizes, as a vase of flowers floats through the air, that ghost Elvira is a real apparition. Her facial acting alone is worth the seat price... Although this play is not the usual Purple Rose category of first-time local playwright talent, it surely gives the actors a chance to flex their funny muscles and gives the audience a great belly-laugh experience." Kent Ashton Walton Steve Daut |
Photos by Danna Segrest
"Patrons
of Purple Rose Theatre, dessert is served... Even before the
show starts, there are hints that you’re in for something
special. The program lists an all-star cast, and there before
your eyes is the most detailed and lavish set in Purple Rose’s
history... (Sandra) Birch turns in a comic tour de force as
dotty Madame Arcati, being pulled this way and that by forces
unseen, shaking a spray of snapdragons like a demented cheerleader
and romping and stomping and waving sprigs of garlic with (Malcolm)
Tulip in a double-dance attempt to contact the spirit world...
(Terry) Heck, who can thoroughly burrow into the smallest role,
is up to her usual high standard, and (Randall) Godwin make
a nice foil for her – and performs a world-class spit
take... In case you’re wondering what killed Elvira,
she died laughing. Playgoer, beware: You may suffer a similar
fate."
to
irritation when she starts pressing his buttons, and finally
to blithe acceptance of a cozy bigamy with two wives – one
dead, one living. Michelle Mountain brings a slinky sexiness
with a dash of feisty Irish colleen to the role of Elvira (the
dead wife), providing a nice foil to Janet Maylie’s starchy
second wife. Maylie registers a dozen shades of outrage as
she gradually realizes what is happening to her comfortable
but passionless marriage. It’s a lovely piece of work.
Randall Godwin and Terry Heck deliver object lessons in what
to do small but funny roles... Any production of Blithe
Spirit ultimately lives or dies (no pun intended) in the
performance of Madame Arcati, a psychic medium who is one crystal
ball short of a full set. Sandra Birch, stalking the sitting
room for ectoplasmic presences while slipping in and out of
a spastic trance, milks the role for every laugh she can get,
and she gets plenty. Finally, there’s a wonderful performance
by Kate Peckham as the maid Edith, on whose humble role Coward
bestows a crucial plot turn. Book your tickets soon, because
this show is going to sell out fast."
"The
production of Blithe Spirit is served up in Grand
PRTC style. From the beautiful period set design by Bartley
H. Bauer to the stellar cast and delightful direction...
the production is impeccable. Malcolm Tulip presents a pompous,
highly animated Charles who is a delight to watch. Equally
entertaining is Kate Peckham as the maid Edith, who can’t
stop running, bumping into things, or bumbling about, no
matter how hard she tries. And Sandra Birch presents us with
yet another unforgettable character as Madame Arcati... The
PRTC production of Blithe Spirit is definitely a
comedic treat served up on a silver tray. If you’re
looking for a rollicking show that the whole family can enjoy
this summer, you can’t do better than the Purple Rose
Theatre production of Blithe Spirit. This is a fun,
funny, professional production of the highest caliber."