Blithe Spirit

Twyford Drama’s Highly Spirited Next Production!

Twyford Drama will be performing Blithe Spirit at Loddon Hall from Thursday 8th to Saturday 10th May 2025. Skeptical novelist Charles Condomine invites self-proclaimed medium Madame Arcati to his home for a séance, hoping to gather material for a new book. When the hapless psychic accidentally summons the spirit of Condomine's late wife, Elvira, his home and life are quickly turned upside down.

Notes from the director...

19 February

"I have always loved everything about the 1930's: the architecture, interior design, costume and music. I have personally been wanting to direct a play that reflected this and I feel that Blithe Spirit perfectly encapsulates the mood and period feel that I wish to present. It was actually written in 1941 but it translates perfectly to a pre-war setting. 

Of course, its creator Noel Coward himself was the epitome of the sardonic and urbane 1930’s  gentleman. As well as being an interesting period piece, it is also funny, intriguing and beautifully written.

This witty tale of  two wives, a beleaguered husband and a delightfuly eccentric spiritualist is sure to delight and amuse. We hope you come and join us in May in Mr. and Mrs. Condomines’ drawing room to witness the fun unfold..."

22 March

"Rehearsals for Twyford Drama’s production of Blithe Spirit are progressing apace, cast and crew spurred on even more by the group’s recent achievement of being voted Twyford’s Community Group of the Year at the Twyford Together awards.

Noel Coward’s beautifully written play and Beth’s talented cast come together to make the experience exhilarating and exciting. The script demands skilful characterisation and the ability to move confidently through a tightly choreographed performance. 

The other main challenge of producing a period piece is making sure that it looks right. This puts a fair amount of pressure on the costume prop and scenery department. There has been a flurry of activity on facebook marketplace and scouring of the local charity shops. Costumes, particularly dresses, are best tackled by using vintage dress patterns and the recent interest in home sewing has assured their availabiliy on line. 

Returning to the actors, however, the play would be nothing without their commitment and determination. They have another six weeks of hard work ahead of them before they can delight their audiences with their performances."

24 April

"Rehearsals are gathering pace as Twyford Drama, the recent winners of The Twyford Together Community Award,  move into their final month of rehearsals before show week. The cast have worked hard perfecting their lines and the scenery is almost complete thanks to our talented set building team and artists. 

The group has been lucky enough to have three rehearsals on stage over the Easter holidays. This has been really helpful for the cast to get a real sense of the space they will be inhabiting as the drama unfolds. 

‘Blithe Spirit’ is a witty and, at times, complex script,  which requires energy and accuracy in the delivery, and Beth Reynolds, the play’s director, states that she is excited by the progress the talented cast are making. 

The backstage crew have been equally amazing. There is a huge amount of work involved, especially as the play includes a number of special effects. Period props and furniture  are also a challenge as is the creation of necessarily detailed period costumes. 

The performances will be the culmination of a great deal of effort on the part of everyone in the group, and Beth  is confident that the audience will really enjoy the final result. She has been very excited to watch the play gradually emerge over the last few weeks and cannot wait to share it with and delight packed audiences at Loddon Hall."

 - Beth Reynolds - Director