Like a light, bubbly glass of Champagne, there’s nothing quite like a well written, well executed comedy on a warm summer night. California Shakespeare Theater serves up just the right blend of the latter with its production of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit,” adroitly directed by Mark Rucker.
With the setting sun turning the background hills to gold, Annie Smart’s gracious living room set transports the audience to Kent, England, in the late 1930s. That’s where successful author Charles Condomine (Anthony Fusco) and his wife, Ruth (Rene Augesen, are awaiting three dinner guests. One of those guests is Madame Arcati (Domenique Lozano), an eccentric local medium, who will conduct a seance. She doesn’t know that the evening’s real purpose is for Charles to gather information for his next book. The other two guests are a local physician, Dr. George Bradman (Kevin Rolston), and his wife, Violet (Melissa Smith).
The evening turns out to be far more eventful than Charles had bargained for because it results in the appearance of his first wife, Elvira (Jessica Kitchens), who has been dead for seven years. Complicating matters even more, only Charles can see her. Hence, when Charles makes some snappish replies to something Elvira says, Ruth thinks they’re directed at her and takes offense. As events continue to unfold, Elvira makes all sorts of mischief, resulting in Ruth’s joining her “on the other side” and making life miserable for Charles.
Rucker allows the pace to bubble along with its talented cast. Fusco is nicely understated as the heretofore unflappable Charles becomes more exasperated with Elvira. Augesen’s Ruth serves as the gracious hostess while dealing with difficulties on several fronts. Lozano is nothing short of hilarious as her bicycle-riding Madame Arcati goes through her elaborate preparations for the sance. This is a role that lends itself to overacting, but Lozano wisely knows where to draw the line. Kitchens is a slinky, sexy Elvira who reveals more of her true character along the way.
More comic antics come from Rebekah Brockman as Edith, the Condomines’ wide-eyed, fast-moving, slow-on-the-uptake maid. Rolston and Smith fulfill their auxiliary roles competently.
In addition to Smart’s attractive set, the three-act production is enhanced by Katherine Roth’s fashionable period costumes, York Kennedy’s lighting and Will McCandless’s compositions and sound.
Coward is said to have written “Blithe Spirit” in five days in 1941, when England was in the throes of war against Germany. One of his purposes was to buoy the spirits of his countrymen in those dire times. Apparently he succeeded on that front, for the play initially ran for 1,997 performances. Since then it has enjoyed numerous revivals, among them this lovely production by Cal Shakes.
Performances continue through Sept. 2 at the Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way, Orinda, CA. For tickets and more information call (510) 548-9666 or go to www.calshakes.org.
