Blithe Spirit, Abridged Version

A smash comedy hit in London and New York, this much-revived classic from playwright Noël Coward concerns fussy, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine, who has married Ruth, but finds himself haunted (literally) by the ghost of his late first wife, Elvira who is called up by a visiting "happy medium," the eccentric and flighty Madame Arcati. As everyone's personalities clash, it becomes clear that Charles will be haunted by "blithe spirits" into perpetuity. This version - condensed down to a one-act by Laurence Maslon - is perfect for schools and competitions.