"Blithe Spirit" at Theatre in the Round

Noël Coward is the perfect frothy summer theatrical entertainment, with his clever dialogue, ridiculous characters, and silly situations ripe for comedy, all in a British accent. The Guthrie is doing Private Lives later this summer (which they last did in 2007), but first up is Blithe Spirit at Theatre in the Round to conclude their 74th season. This is the one that features a love triangle between a husband, his wife, and the spirit of his deceased wife whom he accidentally materializes. It's well done in the in-the-round space with a great cast and some fun special effects. Note that it is a three-act play, as was common in the last century, but Theatre in the Round sells coffee at concessions, with free refills during the two intermissions (but not allowed in the theater, so drink it in the lobby whilst admiring the art installation and save your cup). This Blithe Spirit will continue to haunt the oldest theater in Minneapolis through July 12. And then make plans for Theatre in the Round's 75th Anniversary season, featuring plays and musicals with a Minnesota connection, from The Great Gatsby to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.

In Blithe Spirit, Charles (James Lane) and Ruth (Megan Blakeley) Condomine live a happy peaceful life in their summer home in the English countryside, despite having to train in a rather incompetent new maid Edith (Hailey Zeissler). All of this changes one evening when Charles invites a medium named Madame Arcati (Janice Stone) to the house to conduct a séance, as research for a new book he's writing. Charles and Ruth, along with their friends Dr. (David Rinzema) and Mrs. (Lori Constable) Bradman whom they also invite to the séance, view the whole thing with skepticism, and struggle to hold back their laughter as Madame Arcati goes through her process of contacting the dead. After the business is finished, the party breaks up and everyone laughs at the amusement of the evening. Except for Charles, who has begun to hear and then see his late wife Elvira (Dani Pazurek). Ruth believes her husband is ill or insane, until he convinces her of the reality of the ghost, when she becomes upset not just because there's a ghost in the house, but because Charles seems to enjoy being reunited with his former love. Ruth attempts to rid their lives of Elvira, but Elvira has plans of her own.*

Dann Peterson directs this perfectly charming seven-person cast, all employing a sincerely silly tone, with posh British accents (with help from dialect coach Courtney Marti). The in-the-round space is used well as the action moves around to different areas in the classically chic living room set, from a sitting area, to a frequently used bar, to the glass doors into the garden, to a table used for breakfast and séances. The neat and detailed period props include martini glasses, a tea set, record albums, and more. The period costumes are so chic, tuxes or dressing gowns for the men, gorgeous dresses for the women. Elvira is dressed in ghostly white, from her hair to her skin to her gown, and when Ruth makes her transition (85-year-old spoiler alert), her red and black ensemble is replicated in shades of gray, including darling two-toned Mary Jane pumps. '40s era radio heard before the show and during the intermission helps set the scene, and the ghostly effects are accomplished with some lighting tricks and other theater magic (Set design by Thomas L. Valach, lighting design by Mark Kieffer, costume design by John A. Woskoff, props design by Rick Polenek, sound design by Warren Sampson). 

Enjoy some light frothy summer comedy entertainment at Theatre in the Round with Blithe Spirit, and visit one of the many restaurants in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood for a complete evening out.

photo by Aaron Mark Photo Film

*Plot summary borrowed from my reviews of previous productions.