Theater Review : Giving Up the Ghost: Overacting Dampens ‘Spirit’

The only fan letter George M. Cohan ever wrote was to Noel Coward; he admired Coward’s ability to underplay. A contained actor himself, Cohan once directed Spencer Tracy to “act less.”

If director Lisa Gary had given that admonishment to her cast in Coward’s “Blithe Spirit” at the La Habra Depot Theatre, her production might have reached its peak comic level. Coward’s humor comes from natural and honest readings of lines that aren’t necessarily funny in themselves; “a good red herring” can get a laugh when the dialogue is easy and conversational--the trick in mining Coward’s words for their gold.

Gary’s tempos are bright; the cues are picked up in fine style, and the British tone is understood. But everyone in the company overacts beyond the limit of Coward’s brittle, precise writing. It isn’t disastrous. The charming story--of a medium summoning up a man’s late wife, much to the chagrin of his present wife--is enough for most audiences. But it deserves more.

The essence of Coward is missing primarily from Stacy Velky’s performance as the medium, Madame Arcati. Velky has a marvelous low register to her voice, and that’s where it should remain. Presumably to be more comic, she lets her voice drift up into a screech, losing not only many of her words but most of her laughs and her character’s charm.

As husband Charles, Darren Boyett is more restrained, but even he is inclined to punch too hard and too often. As his suffering wife Ruth, Charlotta Nutley begins at a good level, but, with the manifestation of the late Elvira (Andrea Stradling), she becomes violently and bitterly angry--and that’s the end of her laughs. Stradling’s reading as the unwanted ghost is safer, though one wishes she would resist the tendency to pose her arms prettily in the air in an effort to appear heavenly.

*

Salvatore Di Vita is properly relaxed and officious as a friend who shares the seance and its aftermath, and Judy Jones is particularly and singularly effective--with admirable restraint--as the friend’s wife. But as maid Edith, Christina Dickinson is too busy trying to look and act funny to get any laughs.

* “Blithe Spirit,” La Habra Depot Theatre, 311 S. Euclid St., La Habra. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m. Ends Nov. 19. $10. (310) 905-9708. Running time: 2 hours, 35 minutes.

Darren Boyett: Charles Condomine

Charlotta Nutley: Ruth Condomine

Andrea Stradling: Elvira

Stacy Velky: Madame Arcati

Salvatore Di Vita: Dr. Bradman

Judy Jones: Mrs. Bradman

Christina Dickinson: Edith, a maid

A La Habra Depot Theatre production of Noel Coward’s comedy, directed by Lisa Gary. Scenic design: Larry Watts. Costume design: Tom Phillips. Technical direction: Mitch Atkins. Stage managers: Charlie Del Muro, Richard Perkins.