Review: BLITHE SPIRIT at Seattle Rep

Dear Readers, I do love a good farce.  That rollicking romp with oodles of physical comedy and improbable situations.  Combine that with a good comedy of manners and it’s gold.  What that spells is Noël Coward’s classic “Blithe Spirit” and lucky for us, it’s playing at the Seattle Rep.  And while there were a few little hiccups, the show is a laugh riot!

In this blissfully ridiculous play we open in the 1940’s in the opulent home of Charles and Ruth (Arlando Smith and Gin Hammond).  Charles is a successful writer and Ruth is his new wife after Charles’ previous wife, Elvira (Kirsten Potter) passed away seven years prior.  But Charles wants to research a new book about a killer medium, so he invites his friends, Dr. and Mrs. Bradman (Nate Tenenbaum and Sara Waisanen) to dinner where they will have a séance with the famous Madame Arcati (Anne Allgood).  But rather than getting material for his book, he accidentally summons the free spirited (pun intended) Elvira from the other side, and now can’t get rid of her.

Director Allison Narver does a wonderful job with the piece, keeping the action and dialog at a breakneck pace.  Coward’s gift for dialog demands a fast paced back and forth and Narver gets that.  There were some not so tight moments in Act Two with a passage of time and repeated séance attempts, plus a final denouement with a confusing lighting effect, but I’m sure they can iron those moments out as the run goes on.  The gorgeous set and costumes from Carey Wong and Cathy Hunt are delectable, and extra kudos to Wong for a set with hidden ghostly passages and an insane ability to “transform”.  Playing into all that, we have Connie Yun’s ethereal lighting and Cricket S. Myers beautifully crafted sound design.  And I’m not sure who was responsible for all the ghostly illusions, but they were a delightful addition to an already delightful show.

And then there was this cast from the theater Gods.  Smith makes for a wonderful straight man for the chaos around him and manages a fantastic arc from stiff to playboy to terror.  The ladies of his affections could not be more different from each other.  Hammond tackles the prim and proper socialite beautifully and as the antics amp up, brings in some hysterical reactions.  And Potter gives us the freer wheeling, up for anything paramour, and hilariously plays into the mischievous poltergeist even while attempting to re-seduce Charles. 

Seattle treasure Anne Allgood delivers her usual comedic bliss as the overbearing Arcati and her “trance” choreography was perfection.  And Tenenbaum and Waisanen look to be having a blast as they lean into the overstuffed style of the era.

But I must mention the actor who had the least stage time but who made the most of that time.  Sophie Kelly-Hedrick as the maid Edith is comedy incarnate.  From the moment we see her and listen to her make a meal of a simple “Yes’m”, she had us in the palm of her hands.  And it just kept getting better, right down to a simple table setting that garnered a well-deserved round of applause.  The voice, the physicality, and, above all, the timing were a master class in comedy excellence and she needs to be cast in everything.

It's basically a raucous good time and a perfect diversion from the stresses of the holidays.  And so, with my three-letter rating system, I give the Seattle Rep’s production of “Blithe Spirit” an otherworldly YAY.  These spirits will lift your spirits.

“Blithe Spirit” performs at the Seattle Rep through December 22nd.  For tickets or information visit them online at www.seattlerep.org.

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