A Play to Spirit You Away: Seattle Rep’s "Blithe Spirit"
Review of Blithe Spirit at Seattle Rep
Written by TeenTix Newsroom writer MARIELA VIDELA and edited by Teen Editorial Staff member KAYLEE YU
Death has never been more lighthearted or absurd than in Noël Coward’s comedy Blithe Spirit. Directed by Allison Narver, Seattle Rep’s production stays true to the “spirit” of the classic play, transforming darkness into light through humor. Despite being written in 1941, Blithe Spirit possesses a timeless appeal, transporting modern audiences into an old-fashioned, mystical, and outrageous world where their worries can be temporarily forgotten.
Blithe Spirit revolves around a supernatural love triangle. Novelist Charles Condomine (Arlando Smith) and his wife Ruth (Gin Hammond) invite the medium Madame Arcati (Anne Allgood) and their friends Dr. and Mrs. Bradman (Nate Tenenbaum and Sara Waisanen) to dinner. Seeking inspiration for his newest novel, Charles asks Madame Arcati to perform a séance. However, he gets more than he bargained for when Madame Arcati accidentally manifests the ghost of his late wife Elvira (Kirsten Potter). Charles must then contend with the complicated reality of having both Ruth and Elvira in the house. Meanwhile, Elvira, who is visible only to Charles, has her own plans for making him hers once more…
Stepping off the rainy streets of Seattle into Bagley Wright Theater on a Friday afternoon, I found myself taking a seat among an older generation of theatergoers. As the lights dimmed, a theatrical voice rang out, introducing the play. Then the curtain lifted, revealing an elegant, old-fashioned living room. As a fan of British historical dramas and ghost stories, I was delighted by how the production conjured both history and magic. The tastefully decorated set, rich lighting, and classy costumes radiated old-world glamor, effortlessly weaving the illusion of a different time and place. These elements were simultaneously harnessed to create an aura of mysticism. Satiny lime couches and emerald-hued walls added a splash of color to polished wood floors and white bookcases. Chandeliers sparkled, and a fire glowed in the fireplace. Ruth swept across the stage in a sleek green gown with gold accents. Throughout her frequent outfit changes, she wore vibrant colors that emphasized her vitality. In contrast, Elvira looked ethereal in flowy, silvery-white gowns and scarves. During ghostly episodes, the glittering chandeliers glowed eerily in blue and pink, and wind swirled through the room, fluttering the curtains. As the supernatural drama came to a head, the elegant set succumbed to chaos. Watching paintings crash down from the living room walls, I could imagine that the invisible hands of ghosts were wreaking havoc.
I was initially drawn to see Blithe Spirit by my love of comedies, and I was not disappointed. I had to pay close attention to catch all of the play’s humorous moments, which were abundant. Blithe Spirit’s script is built on clever, fast-paced dialogue. The cast spoke in posh accents, sipped dry martinis, and smoked cigarettes while delivering Coward’s relentless torrent of witty remarks, drawing chuckles from the audience. Each actor portrayed a distinct and comic character–from shrill, childishly truculent Elvira to the Condomines’ overly enthusiastic, dysfunctional maid Edith (Sophie Kelly-Hedrick). Rising above them all, I found Allgood’s offbeat performance as Madame Arcati exceptionally entertaining. Her séances descended into utter silliness, with erratic dancing and fervent recitations of nursery rhymes that filled the theater with laughter. I enjoyed the feeling of everyone laughing together. It brought me a sense of shared warmth that felt fitting for the winter season.
Although the long back-and-forths between Charles, Ruth, and Elvira felt slightly repetitive at times, the play always revived itself. Sudden bursts of absurdity broke the sense of monotony, and other characters brought fresh humor when they entered a scene. Overall, the cast’s lively performance invited the audience to lose themselves in a reality where even death and the complications of marriage were amusing.
The original success of Blithe Spirit was due to this escapism. By eclipsing seriousness with pure absurdity, it allowed people to forget the cloud of death hovering over London during World War II. In the comedy, death was no longer something to fear, but something to laugh at. Although the play is a product of the 1940s, it transcends the 20th century. Every time period has its difficulties, and ours is no exception. The audience may have been older than me when I saw Blithe Spirit, but the need to find light in darkness is universal and ageless.
Today, Blithe Spirit serves the same purpose as it did over 80 years ago. This makes it especially worth seeing during winter, a time when many of us are seeking joy. Seattle Rep’s production provides an escape into a world of old-fashioned glamor, ghostly magic, and laughter. One of the reasons I go to see a play is to be swept into a story other than my own. Blithe Spirit did exactly that; it spirited me away.
Lead photo: Sara Waisanen, Gin Hammond, Anne Allgood, Arlando Smith, and Nate Tenenbaum in Blithe Spirit (2024). Photo by Nate Watters.
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