Film & Theatre, Reviews | Posted on December 10th, 2025 | return to news

Blithe Spirit

Bournemouth Little Theatre, Winton

Review by Luke Graham

Yet another excellent production by Bournemouth Little Theatre Club. This performance of Noel Coward’s 1941 supernatural farce ‘Blithe Spirit’ was funny, well-acted and looked great.

The story follows Charles Condomine, who finds himself in the unfortunate situation of becoming a “spiritual bigamist” when the ghost of his long-dead wife Elvira is summoned after a séance goes wrong. Elvira then tries to drive a wedge between Charles and his second wife, Ruth, disrupting the couple’s upper-class way of life.

Coward’s script is still sparkling, even 80 years on. The witty dialogue sees the characters regularly bicker, fight and argue, and the lines are well delivered by the experienced cast.

Topher Lynn has been in several Bournemouth Little Theatre Club productions and is always enjoyable to watch. He is great here once again as Charles, a pompous novelist caught between two wives – one living, one dead.

Belinda Harward is enjoyable as Charles’s wife, Ruth. Her anger and growing irritation at the situation, unable to see or hear the spirit of Elvira, were palpable.

Mairi Holmes was very good as Edith, the Condomines’ maid. Her role required lots of physical humour, as she is either rushing about or moving incredibly slowly so as not to drop anything, and Mairi delivered in spades.

Lauren Killham was fantastic as the vicious Elvira. At times demure and softly spoken, at others childish and nasty, Lauren played the balancing act well and was entertaining to watch. Her white gown and blanched white makeup were an effective way to portray her ghostly appearance.

David Maxwell and Carole Allen performed well as the Bradmans, a couple who join in with the séance at the start of the play.

Huge kudos to director Tim Fearon, who steals the show as the eccentric medium Professor Arcati (Madame Arcati in the original script), who inadvertently summons Elvira while conducting the séance. Tim’s mannerisms and line delivery are hilarious, especially in the amusing costume and fez that he wears. It’s a very physical role, as Tim flings himself across the floor while in a trance. Quite the accomplishment!

Kudos as always to the behind-the-scenes team as well. The set and costumes are very good, and the theatre tricks to portray the arrival of the spirits and the haunting of the house are well done, with books and ornaments being thrown off the shelves.

One criticism, and it’s not really the production’s fault, is that it is a long play, with a runtime of nearly three hours including intermission. Starting at 7.45pm, we didn’t leave the theatre until 10.45pm.

This was a brilliant show, probably my favourite of the ones I’ve now seen at Bournemouth Little Theatre since 2024. Most of this week’s run is already sold out, but there are some Saturday tickets remaining and the possibility of returns. Book via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on?q=bournemouth%20little%20theatre.

Bournemouth Little Theatre’s next production is ‘I’ll Be Back Before Midnight’ by Peter Colley, on 10–14 February.