ANNA MARIA – A 1940s British drawing room is the scene of a ghostly encounter that leaves the audience simultaneously laughing and trying to figure out what kind of plot twist will walk through the door next, in the Island Players production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit.
It is Edith (Maggie Carter), the maid, who sets up the show from the get-go with her speedy approach to her job and her difficulty in completing any of her tasks without a struggle. She opens the play with her attempt to place the drinks tray on the table with a very awkward squat, setting the comic tone that will last the rest of the play.
The focus of the play is on the two wives of Charles (Mark Shoemaker), a very successful author who is married to his second wife Ruth (Jan Wallace) after the death of his beautiful first wife, Elvira (Abbey Deernik) who returns as a ghost after the couple invites a psychic, Madam Arcati (Seva Anthony), to their home for a seance as research for Charles’ latest book. Even though she’s been dead for seven years, it doesn’t stop Elvira from haunting his second, more sensible marriage to Ruth. All three actors play off each other brilliantly, with Charles’ wives bringing laughs in waves.
As a character, Charles could be unlikeable, but as the ghost of his first wife goes from loving and beautiful to annoying and disruptive to his current life with Ruth, the audience is drawn into his struggle to find a solution to his unique predicament. As Charles becomes more and more powerless, the audience begins to sympathize with his plight to just return to a normal life.
Anthony is hilarious as Madame Arcati, who brings the character to life with a very physical performance. Whether it’s screaming at the spirits or laying on the floor in a trance with her legs sticking up in the air, Arcati is almost always in motion and frantic, which is in contrast to the proper atmosphere of Ruth and Charles’ home. It’s perfect casting that brings out many of the laugh-out-loud moments and makes the comedy play to all walks of life.
Director Jeffrey Steiger hit a home run with the cast, set design and behind-the-scenes crew that made this high-energy play come off nearly flawlessly. You still have time to see Blithe Spirit, which runs through Sunday, Jan. 23 at the Island Playhouse. Tickets can be purchased for $25 at the box office, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria. Call 941-778-5755 or visit their website for more information.
