BWW Reviews: BLITHE SPIRIT at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre

Noel Coward's dialogue for Blithe Spirit is as bright and effervescent as a glass of champagne and his adroit take on battling married - and, er, "previously" married - couples is as charming as only he could make it. Now, in a sparkling and well-paced production from J. Dietz Osborne and his compatriots at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Nashville audiences are given the chance to revel in the glory of Coward's words and the superb performances of a talented cast of actors.

It's a completely winning production from top to bottom: Osborne's direction is sure-handed and confident, his players' readings of their roles pitch-perfect and the technical elements and design aesthetic for the piece are delightfully on-target. It's essential, of course, in a comedy of British origins for the pacing to be quick, effortless and skilled or else the whole blessed thing becomes a bloody mess. Osborne obviously approaches the play with affection and skill, assembling a strong cast of players to bring Coward's near-iconic characters to life.

Nate Eppler plays the rather acerbic, though certainly urbane and intelligent, Charles Condomine, a novelist whose latest work will be about mediums, the occult, the after-life, what-have-you. As part of his research, Charles has invited Madame Arcati (Martha Manning), the local medium in his quaint Kent village, to conduct a séance at his home in order to glean some background information from her and to, perhaps, expose her for the fraud he assumes her to be.

Charles is aided and abetted by his current wife, Ruth (Erin Parker), and they are joined by the village's doctor and his wife (Chris Bosen and Tammie Whited) for the evening. The Condomine's ever-scurrying Edith (Melodie Madden Adams) is along for the ride which, as we all know, is likely to be a bumpy one.

And it becomes ever-so-bumpy when Charles' late wife, Elvira (Holly Shepherd) is conjured up by all the mystic hullaballoo to wreak all sorts of havoc on the Condomine household.

Certainly, it's a completely outrageous plot but Coward's clever way with the English language and his spot-on ability to skewer people without them realizing it is played to perfection in this classic comedy. It's easy to see why Blithe Spirit was the toast of Broadway last season - and why it's likely to be the toast of Nashville this season.

To put it simply and succinctly: This cast is wonderful (and they all deliver their lines with aplomb in British accents that are altogether very believable).

Eppler, all sophistication and urbane elegance in his country tweeds, gives a commedable performance as Charles Condomine, reacting with very real and very funny horror as the plot unfolds and he realizes his deceased wife is back home. Chris Bosen, as Dr. Bradman, gives able support in a very likable and accessible performance. It's hard to imagine the very British country gentleman as a Texas redneck (as Bosen played in Dearly Beloved last fall at Towne Centre Theatre), but Bosen obviously has the mettle to do so. He is paired with Tammie Whited (looking like Bette Midler's brunette doppelganger in Lydia Bushfield's exquisitely crafted costumes and Billy Ditty's gorgeous wigs), who makes the most of her supporting role with a wonderfully restrained performance. In the rather small role of Edith, Madden-Adams is delightfully scattered and ditzy, yet somehow very real.

Truth be told, however, the real stars of this production are the other women in the cast. Erin Parker, as Ruth, is ideal in the role, and once again you'll find yourself checking your playbill to make sure that's really Erin Parker behind that makeup and wig - she never looks the same in any role she plays at Chaffin's Barn. Yet her tremendous talent always shines through; her Ruth is thoroughly likable despite her sometimes harsh and nagging moments. As the ghostly, vampish Elvira, Holly Shepherd manages to be both captivatingly gorgeous and kind of scary at the same time (thanks to her silvery make-up and the aforemetioned costume and wig wizardry of Bushfield and Ditty). Her line readings are superbly delivered, with just the right rhythms to make her sound like a native - while ensuring Chaffin's audiences can still understand every word of Coward's script. Both Shepherd and Parker have impeccable timing and their chemistry with Eppler is palpable.

But the real star of the production is clearly Martha Manning in the role of Madame Arcati, the flamboyant medium, who stirs up even more trouble than she could dream with her séance at Chez Condomine. Manning's performance is imaginative and colorful, over-the-top but completely realistic, and she has the audience in the palms of her hands from her first entrance to her final exit. Like her cohorts in Blithe Spirit, she exudes confidence in her portrayal and Coward's words issue forth from her as if they were her own. Hers is a performance of note in a cast full of winning performances.

As previously mentioned, Bushfield's costumes are gorgeous and sumptuous, while Ditty's wigs are, as can always be expected of his work, nothing short of perfect. Jim Manning and Trey Palmer's set is well designed and there are some lovely little technical surprises at the play's end to delight audiences even further.

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- Blithe Spirit. By Noel Coward. Directed by J. Dietz Osborne. Produced by Janie and John Chaffin. At Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Nashville. For ticket information, call (615) 646-9977, or visit the company website at www.dinnertheatre.org.

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