What is the play Blithe Spirit about?
“Blithe Spirit” is a play by British playwright Noel Coward, first performed in the West End in 1941 where it ran for a record 1,997 performances before moving on to Broadway later that year. It centers around socialite and novelist Charles Condomine, who invites clairvoyant Madame Arcati to his house to conduct a seance.
How many times has Blithe Spirit been on Broadway?
Blithe Spirit was revived on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre on 31 March 1987 in a production directed by Brian Murray. It starred Richard Chamberlain as Charles, Judith Ivey as Ruth, Blythe Danner as Elvira and Geraldine Page as Madame Arcati. It ran for 104 performances.
What is the age range for Blithe Spirit?
Blithe Spirit 1 Cast Size#N#Cast Size#N#5f, 2m 2 SubGenre#N#Subgenre#N#Farce 3 Suggested Use#N#Suggested Use#N#Cutting Approved for Competition#N#Scene work#N#UIL Approved#N#Competition or audition material 4 Audience#N#Target Audience#N#Adult, Senior, Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13), Teen (Age 14 - 18) More ...
What makes Blithe Spirit a good read?
Frustrated by their odd situation, the threesome call on Madame Arcati once more to send Elvira and Ruth back to the other side. Intensely funny and character-driven, Blithe Spirit combines farce, emotion, and wit to great effect.
How many acts are in Blithe Spirit?
A Light Comedy in Three Acts,” he wrote in his memoir Future Indefinite.
What time period is Blithe Spirit?
The original production of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit is set in the early 1940s. The first production of Blithe Spirit was performed in 1941, making the play a contemporary piece when it was originally produced. The play is primarily set inside Charles Condomine's house, which is located in Kent, England.
How long is Blithe Spirit at the Walnut Street Theater?
Noël Coward's BLITHE SPIRIT runs at the Walnut May 31 through July 3, 2022. This production is sponsored by Herman Goldner Co., Inc., and the Artist Sponsor is the Noël Coward Foundation. Media Sponsors are 6ABC and Metro Philadelphia. Discounted tickets are sponsored by PNC Arts Alive.
Is Blithe Spirit a comedy?
Blithe Spirit is a 2020 British comedy film directed by Edward Hall and starring Dan Stevens, Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Judi Dench, Emilia Fox, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Adil Ray, Michele Dotrice, and Aimee-Ffion Edwards.
What is the meaning of Blithe Spirit?
glad; cheerfuljoyous, merry, or happy in disposition; glad; cheerful: Everyone loved her for her blithe spirit.
Why is Blithe Spirit called Blithe Spirit?
Background. The title of the play is taken from Shelley's poem "To a Skylark", ("Hail to thee, blithe Spirit! / Bird thou never wert"). For some time before 1941 Coward had been thinking of a comedy about ghosts.
Who are the main characters in Blithe Spirit?
Charles CondomineMrs. BradmanMadame ArcatiRuth CondomineElvira CondomineDoctor George BradmanBlithe Spirit/Characters
What happens at the end of Blithe Spirit?
Ruth insists, and Charles is convinced, that Elvira is trying to kill Charles in order to have him for herself again. Ruth leaves in the car, which Elvira had booby-trapped for Charles, and is killed in the ensuing “accident.” The act ends with Elvira frantically retreating from Ruth's ghost, invisible to Charles.
What is Blithe Spirit rated?
PG-13Blithe Spirit / MPAA rating
Where is Blithe Spirit set?
'Blithe Spirit' shooting locations Blithe Spirit filming locations mainly include three main places situated in the United Kingdom. The film covers the country's beautiful mountains in the north and plains in the central and southern parts.
What film is Blithe Spirit based on?
Bird thou never wert" in the poem "To a Skylark" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The song, "Always", written by Irving Berlin, is an important plot element in "Blithe Spirit"....Blithe Spirit (1945 film)Blithe SpiritScreenplay byDavid Lean Ronald Neame Anthony Havelock-AllanBased onBlithe Spirit 1941 play by Noël CowardProduced byNoël Coward12 more rows
Is Blithe Spirit a remake?
The ghost of Elvira (Leslie Mann) has a few words for Charles (Dan Stevens).
When was Blithe Spirit written?
1941Blithe Spirit, farce by Noël Coward, produced and published in 1941 and often regarded as Coward's best work. This play about a man whose domestic life is disturbed by the jealous ghost of his first wife shows Coward's humour at its ripest.
What happens when Elvira unwittingly causes Ruth's death?
When Elvira unwittingly causes Ruth’s death in her attempts to bring Charles over to be with her, Charles becomes haunted by both of his now-deceased wives. Frustrated by their odd situation, the threesome call on Madame Arcati once more to send Elvira and Ruth back to the other side.
Who is the medium in Blithe Spirit?
Blithe Spirit is set at the house of writer, Charles Condomine, and his wife, Ruth. One evening, Charles invites local eccentric medium, Madame Arcati, to hold a seance at his house. He asks along his friends, Dr. and Mrs. Bradman, intending to gather character inspiration from Madame Arcati for his latest book.
When was Blithe Spirit first performed?
Blithe Spirit was first produced on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre in New York City on November 5, 1941. It was directed and produced by John C. Wilson.
Who is the ghost in Private Lives?
The smash comedy hit of the London and Broadway stages, this much-revived classic from the playwright of Private Lives offers up fussy, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine, re-married but haunted (literally) by the ghost of his late first wife, the clever and insistent Elvira who is called up by a visiting “happy medium,” one Madame Arcati.
Who was Prince Mussel in The Goldfish?
Noël Peirce Coward was born in 1899 and made his professional stage debut as Prince Mussel in The Goldfish at the age of 12, leading to many child actor appearances over the next few years. His breakthrough in playwriting was the controversial The Vortex (1924), which feature ...
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Who is Charles' wife?
As the (worldly and un-) personalities clash, Charles’ current wife, Ruth, is accidentally killed, “passes over,” joins Elvira, and the two “blithe spirits” haunt the hapless Charles into perpetuity.
Is a script included in a license estimate?
The cost and license availability quoted are estimates only and may differ when you apply for a license. Scripts and rental materials are not included in this estimate.
When will Blithe Spirit be released on DVD?
Home media. Blithe Spirit was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on April 26, 2021 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment under Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, which includes interviews from the cast and additional bonus features.
Who is the director of Blithe Spirit?
Blithe Spirit is a 2020 British comedy film directed by Edward Hall and starring Dan Stevens, Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Judi Dench, Emilia Fox, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Adil Ray, Michele Dotrice, and Aimee-Ffion Edwards. The film is based upon the 1941 play of the same name by Noël Coward, adapted for the screen by Nick Moorcroft, Meg Leonard, and Piers Ashworth.
What does Madame Arcati find?
Madame Arcati finds a spell that might successfully banish her spirit and tells Daphne that Mrs. Condomine wishes to return to where she came from. However, there are now two dead Mrs. Condomines, and the spell accidentally summons Ruth back to Earth as a ghost, same as Elvira.
What is the song that Madame Arcati plays at the seance?
As the seance begins, Madame Arcati plays the popular song, “Always, ” on the gramophone, claiming her spirit guide - a little girl named Daphne - enjoys it. The seance is chaotic, as Arcati raps on the table repeatedly and the guests snicker in suspicion. However, Charles is shocked when he hears Elvira’s voice speaking to him. It’s soon clear that only Charles and the audience can hear Elvira. Madame Arcati faints, and when she wakes up it seems as if everything is normal. Charles escorts her out, but as she leaves and Ruth and the Bradmans have a conversation, Elvira’s ghost enters the room and sits at the table. Charles joins in the conversation, not seeing her at first, but when the Bradmans leave she becomes clear to him. Ruth cannot see Elvira, so Charles’ reaction to her at first makes Ruth think he’s going crazy. Ruth heads off to bed, telling Charles to collect himself, and Charles goes to sleep in a chair. Charles wakes up the next day, thinking he had a hallucination. He tries to make his peace with Ruth when Elvira shows up again. Charles’ odd behavior makes Ruth angry, and to prove he’s not going crazy he convinces Elvira to move various objects around the room. Now that Ruth believes there’s a ghost, she calls Madame Arcati to perform an exorcism. The medium isn’t convinced this is possible but agrees to try.
Why does Ruth think Elvira is trying to kill Charles?
Ruth becomes convinced that Elvira is trying to kill Charles in order to reunite them on equal grounds again. Charles is suspicious, believing Ruth to be paranoid. This proves to be a false hope when Ruth is killed in a car crash after the car has been tampered with. Charles is furious, and seeing how upset he is, Elvira regrets her actions. She decides she might be better off returning to the afterlife. Madame Arcati finds a spell that might successfully banish her spirit and tells Daphne that Mrs. Condomine wishes to return to where she came from. However, there are now two dead Mrs. Condomines, and the spell accidentally summons Ruth back to Earth as a ghost, same as Elvira. Now with two ghostly wives bickering with each other and with him, Charles is desperate to exorcise both of them. He denies that it was his desire that caused the two ghosts to manifest, but Madame Arcati insists that the psychic power that summoned them must be found. She calls on Edith, who is revealed to have psychic powers of her own, and uses the maid’s abilities in combination with her own to summon the ghosts and banish them back to the afterlife. They vanish, taunting Charles as they go. However, the house remains slightly haunted, with mysterious sounds and movements of inanimate objects. Charles feels that in order to be truly free, he must leave the house. He wishes them both a sarcastic farewell as he leaves the house and his two wives behind him.
What does Ruth believe about Madame Arcati?
Now that Ruth believes there’s a ghost, she calls Madame Arcati to perform an exorcism. The medium isn’t convinced this is possible but agrees to try. Ruth becomes convinced that Elvira is trying to kill Charles in order to reunite them on equal grounds again. Charles is suspicious, believing Ruth to be paranoid.
What does Ruth tell Charles about Elvira?
She tells Charles that he’s always been dominated by women, and he ’s still under Elvira’ s spell. He denies this, and tells Ruth that if this was true, she’s the one currently dominating his life. The first guests arrive, the married Bradmans. The two couples talk about Madame Arcati, who they’ve only heard of.
What is the theme of the play "Blithe Spirit"?
Exploring themes of deception, love, loyalty, and the complex legacy of past relationships, “Blithe Spirit” is one of Coward’s most acclaimed plays and has been staged on Broadway multiple times. It was adapted into a film in 1964, also written by Coward, and starring Rex Harrison. It was directed by David Lean.
Who is the actress who plays Madame Arcati in the movie "Blithe Spirit"?
It was most recently staged on the West End in 2014, starring Angela Lansbury as Madame Arcati. “Blithe Spirit” begins as Charles and Ruth Condomine await three dinner guests, ...
