Blithe Spirit: A hauntingly hilarious return to the stage
By Vama Saini, April 9 2025—
What do you get when you summon a ghost, one ex-wife battling it out with the current one and a séance conducted by a bicycle-riding medium? Blithe Spirit, of course — Noël Coward’s razor-sharp comedy, now revived with wit and flair at the Maxwell Theatre under the direction of a seasoned Calgary theatre veteran, Nikki Loach, making her long-awaited return.
“It’s one of those top 10 plays that any director would want to work on,” Loach shared in an interview. “It’s so witty, so well-made and the audience just loves it.”
Written during the Blitz in 1941, Blithe Spirit offered wartime escapism for Londoners — and now, nearly a century later, it delivers a similar kind of release for an anxious 2025 audience.
“There’s something about going to the theatre and just having a blast and laughing and escaping the world,” she said. “That’s one of the strong things about this play — it’s just so joyful and delightful.”
Loach’s return to Theatre Calgary is more than nostalgic — it’s transformative.
“The last time I directed here, I was pregnant with my now-19-year-old,” she said. “This time around, I came in as a mature artist, knowing exactly what I needed to do. I surrounded myself with great artists — many of them local — who just elevated the piece.”
Chief among those artists is Corinne Koslo as the eccentric medium Madame Arcati, a role she’s tackled before, but never quite like this.
“She knew how great [the role] was, but she said now she’s the right age to play the role,” Loach explained. “She came in with this incredible maturity and said to me, ‘Don’t lock me down too quickly — I’ll stop inventing.’ So we just let her play. She’s pretty consistent, but in the moment, she can surprise you.”
Koslo’s physical comedy and presence are matched by Tyrell Crews as Charles, the skeptical novelist who finds himself literally haunted by his romantic past.
“Tyrell is a gifted physical performer who also understands the text down to the syllables,” she said. “He came in with so much homework done — it was just a joy to work with him.”
Meanwhile, the ghostly Elvira and no-nonsense Ruth — Charles’ two wives, past and present — brought a layered tension to the stage.
“They’re opposites in every way — Elvira is the younger, more physical, mischievous character. Ruth, on the other hand, was a bit more of a mature character. The contrast of those two, in their intention, trying to pull Charles apart creates a lot of potential for comedy,” said Loach.
Behind the scenes, the creative team layered symbolic richness into the production. Set designer Scott Reid’s conservatory-inspired drawing room hints at the “birdcage” of marriage. Costume and lighting choices reflect characters shifting between the supernatural, the natural and the unnatural.
Ultimately, Blithe Spirit succeeds because it doesn’t try too hard.
“Coward almost directs the play himself,” Loach laughed. “You just have to listen to the script. It tells you everything you need to know.”
From ghostly hijinks to biting one-liners, this revival is a hauntingly hilarious night at the theatre — and just the kind of spirited escapism we all need.