Blythe Spirit by Noel Coward at Watford Palace Theatre until June 16
By Amanda Slope
NOEL Coward's Blythe Spirit is admittedly an old chestnut, but a very sweet chestnut and Matthew Lloyd has directed a delightful production at the Watford Palace Theatre.
Coward’s play tells the tale of Charles Condomine (Simon Dutton) an author who needs to research into the occult for his latest book.
His present wife Ruth (Tessa Churchard) the local doctor (Robin Hooper) and his wife (Penelope Beaumont) invite a local medium, Madame Arcati (Aicha Kossoko) to hold a séance at the Condomine’s home, where Charles’s first wife Elvira (Emma Cleasby) died seven years before.
Unsurprisingly, Elvira takes this opportunity to come back to see her husband and cause as much chaos as she possible can.
The production is in the usual 1930s drawing room comedy setting and style, which is beautifully designed by Colin Falconer with lighting by Charles Balfour.
However, what is unusual about this production is the character of Madame Arcati.
She is played by black actor Aicha Kossoka who adds a touch of voodoo and mystic, which gives a new dimension to the character that is usually identified with the elderly eccentric Margaret Rutherford; with a French Creole accent and appalling dress sense Kossoka is wonderfully exotic.
Dutton and Churchard work very well together in this characteristically squabbling married couple; their comic timing is a great treat, especially in banter such as, "Anything interesting in the Times?" "Don’t be silly Charles!"
This is a very amusing evening with wonderful finishing touches in the last scene – a very pleasant evening’s entertainment.
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