Archives - November 1987
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Archives - November 1987 |
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Produced by Ron Chamuffin
THE PLAY
Farce, set in a country house in the late 1930s. Charles and Ruth Condomine are both on their second marriages, Charles' first wife Elvira having died some seven years previously of pneumonia. Charles is an author and has invited a local medium over, ostensibly to conduct a seance, but primarily so that he can study her techniques as research for his novel. Madam Arcati is no charlatan, though - she succeeds in summoning the ghost of Elvira, even though Charles is the only person who can see her.
It takes some time and much misunderstanding before Charles can convince Ruth that he really is being haunted - if that is the correct word - by Elvira. Once she does believe him, Ruth tries unsuccessfully to persuade Madam Arcati to exorcise the ghost. After Madam Arcati refuses, taking umbrage at Ruth's manner, the household settles into an uneasy truce...until Ruth realises that Elvira's plan is to kill Charles so that she can have him to herself. The plan backfires: Elvira's sabotage of Charles' car only results in Ruth's death.
Now haunted by two ex-wives who loathe each other, Charles returns to Madam Arcati for help. She tries every occult trick she knows before finally realising that it is not Charles whose desire summoned the ghosts but Edith, the maid. Even then, her exorcism is only partially successful. Charles, though, gleefully announces that now he is finally free of domineering women, he is going overseas and leaving Elvira and Ruth behind in the house.
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PREVIEWS & REVIEWS
Preview from the Worthing Herald, October 1987
Review from the Worthing Herald, 13th November 1987
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