‘Blithe Spirit’ review
‘a truly sensational introduction to the new and upcoming talent in Durham Student Theatre’
Blithe Spirit. A witty, superbly acted, Gothic portrayal of the well-known play by Noël Coward. Through an imaginatively portrayed storyline, following all things supernatural, the cast and creative team of Blithe Spirit entertained and engaged audiences from start to finish. This was a truly sensational introduction to the new and upcoming talent in Durham Student Theatre.
The creative team, spearheaded by Eva Clarke and Andreea Goian as co-directors, and Zara Khan as producer, expertly crafted the humour and wit within every scene of this play. Throughout the play, there was a clear directive - one of confidence, humour, passion, and emotion. It was especially noticeable in the séance scenes, where the bridge is crossed beyond the realm of the living. The cast worked well together, seamlessly heightening tension. You can clearly see the vision of the directors coming out here, with noticeable reactions from the actors highlighting divides. While Madame Arcati, played hilariously by Anastasia Schreiber, entertained and engaged audience members with her maddened whirlwind of emotion, both Mr and Mrs Condomine’s reactions heavily contrasted this, acted incredibly by Jasper Hinds and Beatriz Camarotte respectively – ones of fear and apprehension. This effortless bond between the characters would not have been possible without clear creative direction in these scenes, which really shines through.
In every scene within Blithe Spirit, I was held captive by every actor. Hinds, who plays the self-assured novelist Charles Condomine, commanded attention. Especially noticeable was his monologue at the end, where he perfectly contrasted his character at the start, ending the play off on a note of crazed fanaticism and giving a perfect ending to an other-worldly story. The pairing of Hinds and Camarotte as Mr and Mrs Condomine bounced off of each other with such vigour, almost feeding on each other’s incredible breadth of acting. In the scenes where they were alone on stage, one felt fully immersed in their recognizable, quick-witted, and somewhat strained relationship. Camarotte had a perfect sense of when to retort and when to stay quiet, and she delivered lines with such strength and power.
Dr and Mrs Bradman, played by Gabriel Cardy-Brown and Lottie Roddis, were the absolute picture of the 1940s upper class. Accents among all characters were superb, but especially for this pair, who enunciated speech so superbly that you could only imagine yourself at a 1940s dinner party. Madame Arcati, depicted by Schreiber, was a standout performance. From the minute she walked on stage, I was mesmerized by her crazed mannerisms, hilarious humour, and rhythm that brought out the wit in every line. Her character provided a great relief from the stuffy upper-class world of Condomine and his friends.
Of course, Nia Keogh-Peters put on an incredible performance too as Elvira. I loved the way she commanded herself even when not directly involved in dialogue, perfectly capturing the floating, other-worldly nature of Elvira being a ghost, but I particularly admired her witty jokes and ability to undermine Charles with little to no effort. Lanre Pratt, as Alfred, interjected scenes with such enthusiasm and vigour that you couldn’t help but love his character. His sense of physicality jumped out to me most, a truly fitting portrayal of a slightly simple-minded house servant.
The production of the show was brilliant too. The set was wonderfully woven into the action on stage by the directing team, fully transporting us back in time. Set Designer El Hilton, assisted by Sally Barker, and helped by Amelie Dockerty, Eliza Hemphill, and Phoebe Ballenden, carefully designed this set to connect with every scene. The lighting design, curated by Geronimo McDonagh, and controlled expertly by Shyla Velasquez-Fox, was brilliant, carefully signifying the entrance of Elvira and Ruth as ghosts, signifying to the audience that the supernatural was nearby.
I loved the use of a mesh backdrop through the séance, throwing up ghostly projections to enhance the illusion of conjuring up the dead - personally, I really believed it. The soundscape, too, was brilliantly chosen to mirror the 40s setting: the gramophone played a central part in the plotline, and the sound, designed and operated by George Jones and Aniket Garg respectively, was fitting.
Of course, the blend of scenes and set changes could not happen without the backstage crew, made up of Stage Manager Ella Jeavons, Deputy Gemma Christie, Assistant Anjali Karia and Fly Operator Leon Ansorg. The production of this show could not have happened without Production Manager Cassia Thurston. Imaginative lighting and sound, creative set, and brilliant planning and execution on their behalf allowed the actors to step it up a level, and it was very noticeable from the audience.
I left the theatre feeling impressed and awed by the new talent on show at Durham. The choice of play was a perfect blend of Halloween horror and typical Coward humour, which I loved. It brilliantly displayed both cast and creative team, and I am so excited to see how they continue into the Durham Student Theatre scene!
By Jamie Duncan.