The true spirit of fun

In October, people will be holding séances and a vengeful deceased woman named Elvira will make her appearance in Chico. Oh, and there’ll be British accents. Lots of them.

Chico Theater Company and its dynamic cast begins its production of Noel Coward’s dark comedy Blithe Spirit Oct. 6, just in time for Halloween.

The play tells the story of a British author named Charles Condomine who holds a séance as research for a book he plans to write about a murderous fake psychic.

Charles is a remarried widower, and the séance conjures up the spirit of his late wife, Elvira. Though he is the only one who can see her, Elvira’s presence brings tension to the room, and Charles’ present wife, Ruth, becomes upset as he questions his love and relationships with both women.

Although the subject matter may appear to lean toward a drama or horror production, Coward’s use of dark humor and witty dialogue to examine relationships makes for an original outcome. Whether it’s simply the way they move around the room, or the scene where a bratty-but-hilarious spirit Elvira chases a frightened Ruth by pushing an ottoman, there are plenty of comedic performances and quite a few scene stealers.

The eccentric medium, Madame Arcati, is played with dramatic vibrancy by Drenia Acosta. As she dances around channeling the spirits, arms flailing, you can’t help but chuckle.

“Madame Arcati takes herself very seriously,” said Acosta during a recent rehearsal. “She’s so fun to play—very unique and flamboyant.”

Acosta, and the rest of the hand-picked cast made up of Chico theater regulars, has been hard at work perfecting the revival of the play, which broke British box-office records in the 1940s and was adapted into a successful film in 1945.

They’ve been so dedicated, in fact, that even when the cast is not reading lines, many of the actors continue to speak enthusiastically with British accents.

“It just happens, and I don’t even realize it,” said Sheri Bagley, who plays Ruth. “It’s sometimes kind of embarrassing.”

Before rehearsal even started, Acosta ran out on stage and called to a crew member by yelling in her faux-British accent, “Hey, lovey! Could I get a bit of water?”

“It’s fun to get into that character and it’s good to warm up,” Acosta said. “And it’s fun to play with my castmates.”

It’s not all fun and games, however. The cast has been rehearsing three to four nights a week since August in preparation of the play’s October opening.

“The process tends to be very strict,” said Jeff Dickenson, who plays Charles. “But it’s such a delightful text to work with.”

It doesn’t hurt that October brings not only Halloween, but Friday the 13th as well. In addition to poking fun at spirits, audiences can expect a lot of special effects—vases tipping over, pictures falling and other surprises.

“This play has lots of misunderstandings and hocus pocus,” Dickenson said. “It’s a good Halloween show.”

One word of advice from the cast members: Pay attention. With the witty and fast-paced dialogue, it’s easy to miss a line.

Even so, the play is entertaining, the cast is fun to watch and the subject matter is outrageous.

“The audience will have a lot of fun,” Bagley said. “It’s a light, fluffy, high-style English comedy.”