GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Luka Lyman, left, plays the second wife of Charles Condomine, who lives with the ghost of his first wife Elvira, played by Stefanie Anderson.

3 strong leads help
‘Blithe’ delight

Stefanie Anderson is a ghost on
a mission in DHT's staging
of Noel Coward's 'Spirit'

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By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

Two women, twice the fun? That's not how things turn out for Charles Condomine in Noel Coward's classic drawing room comedy, "Blithe Spirit," at Diamond Head Theatre. Director Scott Rogers and three strong leads do a fine job in exploring the less obvious facets of Coward's tale about a married man whose first wife returns from the dead.

Anyone who feels that DHT presents too many musicals -- albeit often of excellent quality -- will find DHT's "Blithe Spirit" a perfect antidote and a delightful escape from such contemporary concerns as terrorists and traffic cams.

But about those two women. Elvira Condomine has been dead seven years when a seance brings her back to her husband. Charles is several years into his second marriage and appears happy. It soon becomes clear that the gorgeous ghost has an agenda that includes more than a casual chat. That the ghostly Elvira soon seems so much better suited for Charles than his increasingly snappy and shrewish second wife, Ruth, is one of several subtle facets of the story and a prime example of Coward's skill as a playwright.

At first, Charles is the only one who can see Elvira, but she soon demonstrates the ability to make her presence known to others.

'Blithe Spirit' Where: Diamond Head Theatre When: Performances 8 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays, and 4 p.m. Sundays Tickets: $10 to $40 Call: 733-0277

Rogers has assembled a strong cast and his three leads develop their characters to great effect. Mark Dillen Stitham (Charles) is perfectly cast as the slightly stuffy English author who arranges the seance as entertainment for his friends and as research for his next novel. Stitham suggests the conservative upper-class English attitudes of the early 1940s without portraying Charles as arrogant or priggish.

Stefanie Anderson (Elvira) reaffirms her stature as one of Hawaii's best young dramatic actors with her work in the title role. Anderson touched the heart with her superb performance as Julie in Manoa Valley Theatre's 1999 production of "Jake's Women," and displayed her range in Army Community Theatre's Readers Theatre stagings of "The Debutantes Ball" and "The Redwood Curtain." She eclipses her prior work with her performance here.

Anderson establishes Elvira as the focal point from her first entrance and maintains her primacy throughout. Anderson succeeds in playing the role as simultaneously seductive and sweetly innocent. She ensures that Elvira remains the romantic heroine even when the darker aspects of ghost's character begin to appear.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Mark Dillen Stitham, as Condomine, has some explaining to do to Lyman, who plays Ruth.

Anderson's success is a credit as well to director Rogers and tech crew members Sukey Dickinson (costumes) and Kathleen Kamakaiwi (makeup/hair design). The result of their efforts is a seductress to die for.

Luka Lyman snaps and snarls and all but foams at the mouth as the hapless second wife. Rogers' understanding of the subtle complexities of Coward's work is reflected in his deft handling of the shifting balance in the interplay between Lyman, Stitham and Anderson. Lyman is easily overlooked but essential to Rogers' success in making "Blithe Spirit" more than a one-joke show.

Rogers never allows the action to stall. Act I starts slowly as is expected in comedies of this type, but the pace picks up appropriately thereafter. He also avoids having the entire cast speak with British accents.

And, rather than leave the audience staring at darkness during the set changes, Rogers has the lights dimmed just enough to define the transition as three additional ghosts -- choreographer/ gymnast Lynn Kinoshita, dancer Cielle Kiewit, and a third anonymous "ghost"/stagehand -- entertain with gymnastics and dance while making the changes. It's a good idea that works well.

Alexandra Horn (Madame Arcati) and Lisa Marie Ezra (Edith) add two secondary comic characters to the proceedings; Ezra was especially popular on opening night as the Condomines' harried hyperactive maid. Roberta Barclay (Mrs. Bradman) and John Hunt (Dr. Bradman) complete the cast. Patrick M. Kelly (set design) and Douglas S. Scheer (props master) give them all a richly detailed performance area to work with.

DHT's "Blithe Spirit" charms from start to finish.

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