University Players bring 'Blithe Spirit' to life

By Chan Tran
Daily Forty-Niner

Many well-written British scripts have been ruined by the hands of apathetic actors who misinterpret the timing and diction of the words. This fact is most evident when one hears the occasional "what did they say?" or "what was that word?" from the audience.

However, the University Players' production of Noel Coward's featherweight comedy "Blithe Spirit" avoids the common misdirected British accent and provides the audience with a belly-tickling good time. The cast of the play, which runs until Dec. 9 at Cal State Long Beach Players Theater, performs Coward's ridiculous supernatural script to perfection and masterfully handles the British banter despite being comprised of mid-20s American college students.

Coward, who wrote "Blithe Spirit" in six days during the Blitz of 1941 weeks after German bombs destroyed his apartment, said he wanted to write a very gay and superficial comedy. His feathery fantasy would become one of the biggest hits in London theater history, running for over four-and-a-half years.

As the show opens, we meet Ruth (Samantha Anderson) and Charles (Jeff Pearce), a squabbly and attractive middle-aged couple who are awaiting guests for a seance. Charles is a writer who plans on exposing the local loony medium Madame Arcati (Heather Black) for a book he is writing on the occult. In addition, he invites Dr. Bradman (Jonathan R. Townley) and Mrs. Bradman (Leslie Michelle Nyman), in hopes that they too will help denounce Madame Arcati's supernatural gifts and render them mere hocus-pocus tricks.

Instead, during the seance the ghost of Charle's ex-wife Elvira (Jessica Variz) returns from the other side, where she was paged in the middle of  "playing tennis with Ghenkis Khan." As fate would have it, only Charles can see or hear Elvira. Through the course of Charles and Elvira's bickering, Ruth, who only hears Charle's responses, starts to question her husband's sanity.

When Charles proves Elvira's existence to Ruth, who does not take the news very well, he devises exorcising plans for the ex-wife. Elvira, on the other hand, wants Charles to join her on the other side and makes up her own deathly plans for his future. Their maid Edith (Kelly Yarborough) holds the answer to a resolution, but not before the audience has the chance to witness the ultimate hell for one man ? being caught between two wives, one dead and one living.

Jeff Pearce is wonderful and rightfully overdramatic as the troubled Charles. One cannot help but think of Niles from "Frasier," who shares similar physical attributes and eccentricities, when Pearce throws his body around on stage. Samantha Anderson is attractively sturdy and fiery as Ruth. Completing the dysfunctional marriage of three is Jessica Variz, who is hysterical as the bubbly Marilyn Monroe-tinged ex-wife, wreaking havoc in an all too subtle manner.

Heather Black's jingle-jangle-supernatural-mumbo-jumbo portrayal of Madame Arcati is a delight to witness. Watching Black go through the pre-seance ritual is like watching a sister to Richard Simmons. Jonathan R. Townley is a strong-built Dr. Bradman, who also provides the best British accent for the production and Leslie Michelle Nyman is joyously oblivious as his wife, Mrs. Bradman.

Director Elizabeth Taheri, apparently understands the  importance of getting the British accent correct and there is no doubt that she spent extra time with the actors to make the dialogue crisp. The action may be fast-paced and energetic, but the humor is never lost thanks to the well-spoken actors.

Taheri utilizes the intimate seating and limited space of the Players Theatre stage to perfection. The scenes mingle together seamlessly and Taheri somehow allows her actors to be rambunctious on the small stage. There are a few scary moments here and there, which spice up the production nicely.

However, what is most enjoyable about University Players' production of "Spirit," is the classiness that pervades throughout the two-plus-hour length -- a hard sell for most college productions.

In fact, as the house lights go up, one expects to be transported to London upon exiting the theater.

University Players

Samantha Anderson (Ruth), left, and Jessica Variz (Elvira) in University Players' production of "Blithe Spirit," which runs until Dec. 9 at the Cal State Long Beach Player's Theatre.

University Players

Kelly Yarborough (Edith), left, Samatha Anderson (Ruth), Jessica Variz (Elvira), Heather Black (Madame Arcati) and Jeff Pearce (Charles) in "Blithe Spirit."