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.