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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2017)
10 // COASTWEEKEND.COM SPIRITED WIT WITH WORDS PHOTO BY PATRICK WEBB Madame Arcati (Karen Martin, center) links hands with socialite Charles (David Sweeney) and his second wife, Ruth (Katrina Godderz, left), as she attempts to contact the spirit world in a scene from “Blithe Spirit” at the Coaster Theatre. Mayhem ensues after a séance conjures up the ghost of Charles’ fi rst wife. Noël Coward’s classic comedy ‘Blithe Spirit’ opens at The Coaster Theatre By PATRICK WEBB FOR COAST WEEKEND A ctors don’t usually accept roles and then leave on vacation just after re- hearsals begin. But for Karen Martin, who plays the me- dium, Madame Arcati, in the Coaster Theatre production of “Blithe Spirit,” it helped in her preparation. Martin was cast by director Edward James, then fl ew to England on a long- planned trip — taking her script to learn her dialogue. “I was on a train, and I heard this women talking,” Martin said. “It turned out she was a professional actress, so I asked her how to say some of my lines. We ended up reading them together. It was lovely to spend a little time with her.” IF YOU GO “Blithe Spirit,” a comedy by Noël Coward The Coaster Theatre, Cannon Beach Opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22 Performances, Sept. 22 through Oct. 28 Fridays and Saturdays: 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Oct 1 and Oct. 15: 3 p.m. Tickets: $20 or $25, call (503) 436-1242 or log on to coastertheatre.com/box-offi ce Box offi ce is open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday; performance days, 1 p.m. to curtain time. Martin’s refi ned British accent can be heard in the comedy, which opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 28, with Friday and Saturday evening shows and a couple of Sunday matinees. “Blithe Spirit” tells the story of a socialite “What holds our interest is the joy of lan- guage, and the battle of language.” — Ed- ward James, director, ‘Blithe Spirit’ writer (played by Coaster regular David Sweeney) who invites a spiritualist to stage a séance to provide material for a book on the occult. However, she conjures up the spirit of his dead wife, Elvira (Ellen Jensen), who is determined to spoil his happiness with his second wife, Ruth (Katrina Godderz). Com- edy ensures, in part because Ruth cannot see Elvira. To tell more would spoil any surpris- es for fi rst-time attendees, but it must be said the comedy does have a dark side. The director, James, is an Astoria native who returned to his hometown about 10 years ago. He had a professional acting/directing career that took him all over the country, including New York. He moved to Portland some 20 years ago and credits the box-offi ce success of a production of “Blithe Spirit,” in which he starred, with keeping his Jupiter Theater troupe afl oat in its fi rst season. The play is often staged in community theater, in part because it has three strong fe- male roles. To prepare a fresh interpretation, James watched video of Italian and Mexican versions, which accentuate the argumenta- tive exchanges between the characters and highlight the ghost’s appearances. An Anglophile, he hopes author Noël Coward’s witty use of words will excite his cast and entertain the audience.