High Spirits

By Joseph Cervelli

Back in the late 60's I went to see my first Broadway musical. Could not get into "Funny Girl" nor "Dolly." Being a fan of Carol Burnett it was between "Fade Out-Fade In" and "High Spirits." Settled for the former and loved it. Never got to "Spirits" but always loved the album.  I kept looking regionally where it might be playing and could not find anywhere. 

Needless to say, absolutely thrilled when I heard it was at Encores at City Center. Based on Noel Coward's  delightfully droll "Blithe Spirit" my hope was that the show lived up to my expectations.  Happily, even with almost no scenery and actors on book  I was thoroughly charmed by this underrated musical which never had a long enough run. And the savvy cast makes the most of the material. 

The always fine Campbell Scott comes out and announces he is Noel Coward and immediately I knew we were in for something different. He exudes charm as he gives the stage directions. He doubles as a family friend Dr. Bradman. 

Composers and book writers Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray had tinkered with the book and while it definitely is similar in many ways to Coward's play has some fun changes. Charles Condomine (Steven Pasquale) is a mystery writer and decides to have a seance to get some information for his new book. Charles is married to Ruth (Phillipa Soo) both here and in real life. Pasquale who is known mostly for dramatic roles (brilliant in the shamefully underrated "The Bridges of Madison County) is wonderfully enjoyable as the sometimes sophisticated upper crust Brit and other times just a silly fellow who really hams it up when his dead wife Elvira (Katrina Lenk) appears from the dead during the seance. Lenk who  was a stand out in "The Band's Visit" was a disappointment in the reshaping of the revival of "Company." She just did not convey the humorous and tenderness of Bobby the lead character from that show. I was apprehensive about her playing the flirty and seductive Elvira. I love to be proven wrong and here I definitely was. She was a complete joy.  And Soo perfectly captures the pragmatic Ruth who one moment very authoritarian and the next just being quite amusing. 

The seance is conducted by the completely daffy Madame Arcati played with appropriate lunacy by the always wonderful Andrea Martin. We first see her pedaling on her bicycle her favorite object of affection in "The Bicycle Song" along with the cast members dancing (energetic choreography by Ellenore Scott) with bicycle handlebars. I just wished that when we eventually see Arcati at a cafe with beatniks (remember the time period) the high powered "Go Into Your Trance" reminiscent of "Rich Man's Frug" from "Sweet Charity"  had utilized Martin more. But she hams it up in the daffy "Talking to You." 

And I would be amiss to leave out the hilarious Rachel Dratch as the bemused maid.

Director Jessica Stone has really done wonders with such a spare set--not much than a few chairs and tables. She knows the material as well as the characters and the insouciant quality of the show never falters. 

One of the biggest pluses which always eluded me was why the sometimes gorgeous score with some incredibly witty lines never received its due. Stone has turned  "Where is the Man I Married?" into a fast moving physically funny number with coffee cups. See it to understand how clever it is. The two quite beautiful songs "Forever and a Day"and "If I Gave you" are lovingly sung by Pasquale and Soo.

Lenk is a treasure here. Even though you do not see her flying around the stage there is something so ethereal about her movements you almost conjure up that image. Her voice is glorious and she rips into the stylish and cagey lyrics to "Home Sweet Heaven" with the aplomb the song deserves.

I could easily see this being revived on Broadway and with this cast and a full set it will be the hit it deserved to be 60 years ago.

Tickets are available at City Center 131 West 55th Street. The show runs through February 15. 

Photos: Joan Marcus