Thursday, April 18Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

Humour, Mystery and a Séance…What more do you need?

While they may not all be drama students in the Drama Society, their acting could have fooled an Emmy committee. Blithe Spirit was a hilarious, mysterious production, centred around a 1920’s dinner party where a séance takes place to entertain guests. With a seven person cast, I would have expected to feel the performance lacking in characters, but each member consumed the space of Jane Holloway Building and put on a performance to remember. Director George Priestley (3rd year Music student) did an amazing job with costume, casting, and set design as the audience was level with the stage, which added to the ambience of the overall performance. The audience was captivated from the moment Ellie Smit walked on stage, as Blithe Spirits began. Laughter rippled through the audience as Sarah Douglas entered the scene as the quirky mediator. Sarah Douglas gave a performance that was just on the right side of overtop, funny and flamboyant, but not to the point of obscene cliché. The audience was plunged into darkness as the séance begins, this added element added to the suspense of the moment. Lights come back on and the drama of the show begins. Claire Mills gave a hauntingly suspenseful performance as the drama and mystery escalated. With the fast paced dialogue of the cast, the dramatic comedy of Blithe Spirit seemed over in almost an instant. Overall, the show was a hit with everyone in the audience and I was amazed at the talent of the Drama Society as a whole. Check out for their next performance as it will surely be one to remember!