Review: BLITHE SPIRIT at Theatre Memphis

Perhaps it’s self-evident, but the ability to communicate with the dead would appear to be, in a word, “challenging.” Having never personally attended a séance, the ingredients necessary to summon a ghost would seem to require enormous skill, persistence, and focus. Imaginably, one would need just the right environment or lighting or ambiance to entice the dead to stop what they’re doing, make an enormous leap across the astral plane and hang out for a while. It seems precarious. Not only do all these elements need to be fully present, but they also need to work in perfect harmony for the “magic” to occur. (I’m guessing there are plenty of seances out there that just don’t quite work.) Such a “challenge” is now on display at Theatre Memphis in Noel Coward’s vintage comedy, BLITHE SPIRIT. When socialite and novelist Charles Condomine and his second wife decide to host a séance to gather material for his next book, Codomine’s first dead wife is summoned and accidentally “unleashed” on the house. Trying to get rid of her becomes the fodder for the farce. Written in 1941, this classic was met with tremendous success on the West End, Broadway, and in multiple film/television versions. Coward often either directed and/or starred in various productions himself—as he was wont to do. It’s lighthearted, silly, and fun. However, just like conjuring spirits is no easy task, this production under the direction of Justin Asher, seems to have all the right ingredients, but, like a wayward apparition, the magic is still somehow missing.

To be clear, Asher has assembled a top-notch talent of artists, so it’s all a bit perplexing. As usual, Jack Netzel-Yates’ singular set design of an English stately manor is beautiful and Allison White’s 1940’s costumes fit the tone of the play literally and figuratively. Nicole Northington’s lighting supports the ghost story but may be a bit more restrained than necessary considering the opportunities for mystique. Only Barbara Sanders’ awkward wig design for the women proves to be a distraction and pulls focus. Finally, I think it’s time to admit that the technological world of 2023 has afforded us expectations for our sensory experiences and enhanced sound is now the norm-not the exception. Perhaps there are stage microphones scattered about this stage, but Theatre Memphis has the resources to put mics on a cast of seven people and this show needs it. Never again should TM audiences have to struggle to hear what’s being said-especially when it’s an audience made up of many seniors.

This is a strong cast of actors. Individually, each performance is one of commitment and believability. For a show about Brits written by a Brit, the accents are remarkably convincing and nuanced, but still, something is off. The writing style of Noel Coward is unique and must be delivered in a specialized way for the comedy to work. The style calls for a cadence and rhythm that harkens back to the movies of the 1940’s and only works if everyone is on the same page and understands the manner and pacing. The interactions require a musicality, that, if off, falls flat. Here, you’ll want to laugh, but don’t.

As Madame Arcati, the eccentric spiritualist summoning the dead, Martha Jones is quite convincing and endearing as a wannabe medium who is surprised and delighted by her own powers of manifestation. Yet, somehow, contradictorily, she plays the silliness too realistically and still has room for more outlandishness.

Adam Remsen as writer (and dabbler in seances) Charles Condomine offers up a traditionally “stiff upper lip” Brit who does his best to remain calm in the face of the ridiculous as he interacts with his dead wife (Elvira) who is still invisible to his current living wife (Ruth). He keeps it all somewhat restrained when “bigger” might serve him (and us) better.

Lena Wallace Black’s depiction of wife Ruth Condomine starts out as an upbeat and ready participant for a light-hearted night of fun and “parlor games,” but quickly cascades to frustration and resentment as she must compete with her current husband’s attentions towards his first dead wife. Her situation only deteriorates over time and Black plays most of the show stuck in a state of agitation that wears thin by the end.

Family friends Dr. George Bradman and Mrs. Violet Bradman played by Kinon Keplinger and Melissa Walker join the Condomines for the night of whimsical diversion and remain somewhat on the margins of the storyline. Walker’s Violet has the cadence down, but often speaks too softly and quickly to be fully understood or engaging (body mics please). On the other hand, Keplinger’s mastery of the spirit and tempo of the piece is closest to what Coward surely intended as he delivers in a way that makes one ache for what might have been.

As the family maid Edith, Marianne Orendorff wrings as much humor out of the character as possible with her awkward interactions and scrambling to impress. Although it’s a smaller role, Orendorff impresses with her time on the stage.

Missing the stylings of the piece the most would have to be Anna Stewart as the ghost and deceased wife Elvira Condomine. Stewart’s delivery is too contemporary and juvenile for a group such as this and her timing leaves easy jokes stranded on the floor lying in her wake.

BLITHE SPIRIT is considered one of Noel Coward’s greatest works. It was written at a time when exploring the occult was considered almost taboo or forbidden. It was, like Coward himself, novel. Yes, the story itself is not hard to follow, but conveying it correctly is. Theatre Memphis has brought together all the elements for an entertaining night at the theatre, and in time, it might just gel for the true conjuring to occur. However, things will need to materialize quickly before it’s time to give up the ghost.

Photos by Carla McDonald

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