 |
Ruth (Kimberly Patterson) and Charles (Don Fowler) prepare for a dinner party in "Blithe Spirit." PHOTO: Alysa Brennan |
Just in time for Halloween, the Hermosa Beach Playhouse presents "Blithe Spirit." It's a definite win for fans of macabre humor, ghostly bigamy or just plain snappy dialogue.
The dark comedy follows Charles Condomine (Don Fowler) and his second wife, Ruth (Kimberly Patterson), as they try to get rid of the spirit of Charles' first wife, the deceased Elvira (Meredith Rensa).
Charles turns to the eccentric Madame Arcati (Sara Borgeson) to attempt to dispel the ghost, while his wife turns to the over-studious Dr. Bradman (Darrell Philip) to mentally correct her husband.
Noel Coward's script has plenty of laughs, especially for fans of British humor. He keeps the plot thickening, even if it takes him awhile to get to each twist and turn.
At its best, the sharp writing almost overshadows the plot; at its worst, the play overly builds up its next revelation instead of moving forward and letting the characters get back to snapping at each other.
And snap they do. Most of the play's best moments come when its characters are at each others' throats, which, luckily, happens in nearly every scene.
Even the shy maid, Edith (Suzanne Petrela), is pecked at for being too hasty.
Unfortunately, the ending suddenly changes in tone from friendly feuds to frustration, from which it barely recovers.
The leads do an excellent job of carrying the play, each one perfecting the niche his or her character is supposed to inhabit.
Fowler seamlessly moves from a scared, shrieking, artsy wuss into a powerful head of household. Patterson matches his intensity as a cold yet insecure wife who can be strong, but not so much as to be one-dimensional. Rensa's Elvira is floaty and childish, and she has each facet perfected. The rest of the cast aren't slouches either, with Petrela and Suzanne Dean (as Mrs. Bradman) standing out.
Petrela's Edith seems to have a constant manic streak - which, even when her character is ordered to slow down, still shines through.
Conversely, Dean's Mrs. Bradman is a dim-witted woman who serves as a humorous contrast to all of the other characters' overly witty banter, and Dean doesn't miss a beat.
Borgeson could have played a stranger Madame Arcati without looking foolish, but instead was more subtlety strange, leaving the bulk of the visual comedy to Petrela, who did a great job with it.
Director Stephanie A. Coltrin did a fine job at bringing even the hard-to-stage sections of the play to life. The action never was strained and her blocking made some scenes greater than the sum of their parts.
Christopher Beyries' work with lighting and scenery deserves extra praise, as it creates an amazing and satisfying ending.
|
