Bell, Book and Candle

Bell Book and Candle

Greenwich Playhouse, Greenwich, November 23rd 2011

If you hold “practise makes perfect” to be true, then the cast of Bell, Book and Candle, currently running at The Playhouse in Greenwich, must have worked tirelessly for months. In a cosy but atmospheric location, unexpectedly at the top of a pub, the cast gave a flawless performance and deserved better than the (half) empty theatre to which they played.

The play, directed by Mark Giesser and produced by Alces Productions, is an old-fashioned, romantic comedy based on the 1950s Broadway hit by John Van Druten. Generally regarded as the precursor to the successful 1960s TV series, Bewitched, it tells the tale of a beautiful young witch from Manhattan, Gillian Holroyd (Zoe Teverson). With only fellow witches and warlocks for company, she is bored, frustrated and lonely. Secretly she toys with a radical idea; to give up her life and become mortal. With the aid of her cat, Pyewacket, she casts a spell on her neighbour, Shepherd Henderson (Stephen Cavanagh) and at once he falls deeply in love. Her impish brother, Nicky (Duncan MacInnes) is outraged, her Aunt Queenie (Carole Street) is supportive and a local author of witchcraft, Sidney Redlitch, (John Sears), is left bemused.

Pivotal to the play is the interaction of the leads and in particular, the immediacy of their chemistry. Both rise to the challenge on roller coasters of emotion, each swept to the heights and then dashed to the ground. Teverson is exceptional. Elegant and poised, her articulation is immaculate, her velvet-voice alluring and the emotional finale very touching. Cavanagh is her equal, confident and self-assured now desperately devoted, now sceptical of her skills but all the while effortlessly convincing. MacInnes, the warlock brother, makes the most of his role, mischievous and menacing but lightening the tone. Everyone plays their part, be it large, be it small and Street and Sears fit in nicely to this excellent quintet.

Space constraints notwithstanding, the staging (John Scheffler) is remarkable - elegant cushions, art deco sofas and a mechanical cat which meows and moves its paws - and the costumes (Giulia Scrimieri) of their era - long flowing evening gowns with white gloves to match. Giesser stays close to the original script, steering clear of the dark implications of the title - "ring the bell, close the book, quench the candle", a clear reference to excommunication. Instead what he gives us is a sparkling night out in a theatrical oasis of South London. 8/10.

Dick Morgan
November 2011