Blithe Spirit at Boca's Caldwell-Conjuring Coward
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BLITHE SPIRIT at the Caldwell Theater is absolutely charming and utterly sumptuous. Unfortunately, charming and sumptuous are no match for funny.
I had never seen BLITHE SPIRIT before, no play production, no film version. I did no "research" about the play prior to tonight, wanting to see it as a brand new and surprising experience. I am not sure about the extent of BLITHE SPIRIT'S success in the past. On Broadway the early 1940s production ran for 689 performances. I know the Caldwell is heralding BLITHE SPIRIT as Noel Coward's "comic masterpiece." I hope not, for BLITHE SPIRIT is not particularly funny.
This play is indeed charming, witty, and all the other words we have learned to expect about works by Noel Coward. At the Caldwell Theater, the Coward classic is given a production that is about as great a production of BLITHE SPIRIT we can expect to see mounted in our lifetimes. But the play is not funny.
Tim Bennett has provided a stunning set for the living room of the Condomines, the couple who host a séance and wind up being visited by the husband's deceased wife.
The costumes by Erin Amico are lovely, funny, creative, perfectly suited to the piece and in some instances, downright beautiful.
The uniformly top notch, seasoned cast, Margery Lowe, Laura Turnbull, Dennis Creaghan, John Felix, Angie Radosh, Elizabeth Dimon and Jacqueline Knapp are all superbly at the top of their game under the steady hand of director Michael Hall. Mr. Hall applies lovely touches and achieves uniform perfection in performance from his delightful actors. I only wish I had found the play to be funny. Heck, I wish the rest of the audience had found the play to be funny also. Alas, there were not too many laughs to be heard at the Caldwell tonight. There were indeed smiles, pleased faces, good cheer and an elegant evening was had by all at this charming play. I simply wish BLITHE SPIRIT was a funny play as opposed to a charming play.
A pleasant evening's diversion? Yes. A lovely time in the theater? Absolutely. For me, well, BLITHE SPIRIT is simply, not my cup of tea.
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