Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit at Rugby Theatre

Buy photos » Blithe Spirit - Emma Varney as Elvira the Spirit, Keith Norfolk as Charles, and Cheryl Ryan as Ruth. Photo by Martin Pulley. (s)

NOEL Coward’s ghostly comedy Blithe Spirit can be seen at Rugby Theatre from April 14 to 21.

The play follows socialite and novelist Charles Condomine, who invites the eccentric medium and clairvoyant, Madame Arcati, to his house to conduct a séance, hoping to gather material for his next book.

But the scheme backfires when he is haunted by the ghost of his annoying and temperamental first wife, Elvira, following the séance, who attempts to disrupt Charles's marriage to his second wife, Ruth, who cannot see or hear the ghost.

Director Ash Hirons said: "Blithe Spirit is an unashamed evening of escapist entertainment.

"Coward sat and penned Blithe Spirit during the darkest hours of World War Two. His wish, to give the war ravaged people of London something to escape to for a few hours of their life. We are not so war torn in 2012 but we have enough economic and social concerns to feel that we also would like some escapism.”

For tickets and further details call the box office on 01788 541234 open between 7pm and 8pm weekdays and 10.30am to 12.30am Saturday (between April 16 and 20 the box office will also be open daily between noon and 2pm).

* Rugby Theatre is holding auditions for Summer Youth Project production 42nd Street.

The auditions are on Saturday (March 14) at the Baptist Centre in Regent Street. For ten to 14 year-olds the audition is at 2.30 pm, and for 15 to 21 year-olds at 5.30 pm. For technical students aged 14 to 21, it is 4pm.

This production will be aided by choreographer Graeme Henderson who performed in the original Drury Lane production and is choreographer on the current touring production of the show.

The production runs from August 11 to 26 at Rugby Theatre.

Email rtyp2012@rugbytheatre.co.uk for more information and registration forms.

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