Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit to be staged in Dorchester

Dorchester Drama will stage Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit at Dorchester Arts on Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23.

When Charles Condomine and his second wife Ruth throw a dinner party for their friends the Bradmans, they invite eccentric medium Madame Arcati to join them and officiate at a seance.

But when she accidentally summons the meddlesome spirit of Condomine’s first wife Elvira, Charles’ well-ordered life is thrown into complete disarray - especially as only he can see his ghostly former spouse.

Matters turn from ghostly to ghastly when Elvira’s meddling takes a dark turn and Charles and Madame Arcati suddenly find themselves trying to send not one, but two spirits back from whence they came.

The ghostly figure of Elvira keeps a close eye on the second Mrs Condomine (Image: Supplied) The play is directed by Dee Thorne and the cast includes Peter Gordon and Linda Bolton as Charles and Ruth Condomine, Colin Davidson and Tilda Sansom as their friends the Bradmans, Barbara Proctor as Madame Arcati, Mel Austin as Elvira and Ivana Jelinic as Edith, the Condomine’s maid and the unwitting key to the hauntings.

Rehearsals are well underway and Dee says she is delighted with the way the play is coming together.

She said: “With less than a month to go, the cast are already very good with their lines and the props, set and costumes are coming together. We are also having fun putting the magic together, which can be quite tricky.”

The seance is taking place (Image: Supplied) This is the fifth time Dee has directed with Dorchester Drama and she says she is pleased they are putting on a well-known play this autumn, especially as Arsenic and Old Lace, which the group staged in November 2024, was a sell-out success.

She added: “I am loving directing this play and seeing what the cast are bringing to their characters, and how they are developing their characters.

“I think the audiences will love it, and be transported to the era of the 1940s, and anyone who enjoys Noel Coward’s work will have a wonderful time.”

Dorchester Drama’s sparkling adaptation of Blithe Spirit is at Dorchester Arts on Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23 with performances at 7.30pm and a 2pm matinee on the Saturday.

Tickets are £12 from dorchesterarts.org.uk and 01305 266926.