Second Space Finds Haunting Production in ‘Blithe Spirit’

Most would agree that having the ghost of your ex-lover haunt you would be very problematic, especially if that ghost was creating havoc in your daily life and new marriage.

The performers of the Good Company Players in Fresno bring this idea to life in the play “Blithe Spirit,” currently running at Second Space Theater in the Tower District near Fresno City College.

Written by Noel Coward, an English playwright, “Blithe Spirit” is set in Kent, England and is directed by Denise Graziani.

This light-hearted comedy is about a writer who hires a clairvoyant to perform a seance, in hopes of collecting creative ideas for a book that he is writing. All goes wrong when the ghost of his ex-wife haunts him and cannot seem to go away, becoming a nuisance to him and his current marriage.

The play runs about two hours and thirty minutes long, and hooks the audience into the story right at the beginning.

The language of Noel Coward can be challenging to follow at times, but watching the actors execute this language is a wonderful experience. They do a good job performing Coward’s cerebral and college-oriented writing. The actors speak with British accents, which adds to the atmosphere of an English play.

This comedic play was met with much laughter, almost to the point of tears. The actors executed the wit in the dialogue perfectly. The character Charles, the writer in the story, is both intense and clever in what he says, a true joy to see live on stage.  

The story calls for serious detail in line-memorization, which is where the actors of this play shine. They especially excel in showing what it would be like to be visited by a ghost that stays invisible to other people.

The characters in the play are more or less portrayed as regular people. The characters that really steal the show are Charles and Madam Arcati, both eccentric characters, in contrast to the rest of the cast.

Edith, the maid in the story, however, falls short in this play. Her mumbling makes it hard to understand the actress, and her character is uncompelling to the story. Although her character tries to serve as comic relief, it comes across as awkward most times.

The setting takes place in a living room, which is well-decorated and suits the needs of the plot. The lighting helps shift the mood from a normal setting to the eerie presence of a ghost inside the house.

Overall, it is a well done play by the cast and crew of the Second Space Theater. If you enjoy local theater and witty farces, this play is a must see.

Second Space Theater is a black box theater, with three-sided seating, holding about 150 people. This makes for a more intimate atmosphere for the audience and the actors.

Blithe Spirit will run until Feb. 26 and will be followed by “HMS Pinafore”.