BWW Reviews: Ahmanson Welcomes Coward's Ageless BLITHE SPIRIT

Blithe Spirit/by Noel Coward/directed by Michael Blakemore/Ahmanson Theatre/through January 18

Noel Coward wrote in a song, "If love were all, I should be lonely", declaring the impossibility of romantic love. He continued this theme onstage in Private Lives, and on screen in Brief Encounter and once again in his most produced play internationally Blithe Spirit, now onstage in a sterling production at the Ahmanson through January 18, and starring the one and only Angela Lansbury.

Assuredly an ageless actress of great dimension, Lansbury has portrayed loony grand dames through the years better than anyone...as the Madwoman of Chaillot in the musical Dear World, crazy Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, a crazed egomaniacal actress in the film Death on the Nile and also the mad mother from hell in The Manchurian Candidate. Is it any wonder that she can portray convincingly the bizarre eccentric Madame Arcati in Coward's Blithe Spirit? At this stage of her career, she owns the role.

As to the plotline, there is speculation at the Condomine house about Arcati's background and just how authentic a medium she may be. Writer Charles Condomine (Charles Edwards) is developing a project on the seance and invites her to perform one so that he may observe every detail. His wife Ruth (Charlotte Parry) is somewhat supportive but friends Dr. and Mrs. Bradman (Simon Jones and Sandra Shipley) are curious but indeed skeptics; Arcati sees right through them at the onset, providing some delicious moments of comical put-down. Yes, Arcati believes in the afterlife and enjoys her work, taking it very seriously. As to her effectiveness?

Well, during the course of the seance, a spirit does materialize, that of Elvira (Jemima Rooper), Charles' first wife. It seems that Elvira died young and whether it is Charles who has conjured her up out of longing or it is she who wills passing over to be with him, her sudden appearance causes chaos, upsetting Ruth to no end. Only Charles can see Elvira and must convince Ruth that she is there by having her move a vase to the mantel. The whole comedic scenario with the ghostly presence creating upheaval and mistrust in an effort to break up the marriage is great fun. Elvira is pretty, overtly sexy and devilishly incorrigible, as opposed to straight-laced, more matronly Ruth, so one can understand Charles' attraction to her. It's Amanda and Elyot from Private Lives all over again, as Elyot begins anew with second wife Sybil, and Amanda comes between them. What does it all prove? In Private Lives and Blithe Spirit, romantic love fades fast. There is no guarantee that a marital or love relationship will last.

The entire ensemble shine under Michael Blakemore's superb direction. Lansbury is magnificently energetic, quick and dotty... focused at every split second. It would behoove young actresses to take a look to see how it is done. She gives a master class in comedic character acting. Edwards is sensational as Condomine, especially in his moments of befuddlement and exasperation. Parry is appropriately put upon, and Rooper is sheer delight as Elvira, pulling out all the stops and having a deviously good time. Susan Louis O'Connor is another standout as dim-witted maid Edith, who creates catastrophe just carrying a tray. What a scream! Coward has always had great fun creating servants.

Simon Higlett provides a lovely set design of the elegant Condoimine country house, and Martin Pakledinaz has designed some quite stunning outfits for Miss Lansbury.

Music intervals of Noel Coward songs are blessed with Christine Ebersole's wonderful voice from her album Christine Ebersole Sings Noel Coward. Irving Berlin's "Always" is heard more than once - ironically conveying an opposing view of loving.

Overall, this is a more than savory representation of Coward's Blithe Spirit. When one thinks of Coward, wit automatically comes to mind, but under the comedic layers there is a message about love and relationships that comes across strong and clear in this production. Don't miss it through January 18!

www.centertheatregroup.org

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