“BLITHE SPIRIT” FOR TOUR

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29138, 25 February 1960, Page 12

“BLITHE SPIRIT” FOR TOUR

Southern Comedy Players For their autumn tour, the Southern Comedy Players have selected the well-known comedy “Blithe Spirit,” which will be presented in Christchurch from March 4 to March 8. The tour will include 38 centres throughout the South Island during the nine weeks’ season. "Blithe Spirit," written by Noel Coward in 1941 set up a record run for a non-musical play in England, with 1997 performances. “Blithe Spirit" tells of a widower, married again, who arranges a seance to get material for his new book. His first wife returns in response to this seance and is visible to the husband, but not to his second wife. Desmond Lock who has appeared in the Southern Comedy Players’ recent productions, “Salad Days” and “The Cat and the Canary,” plays the part of the author. His wives are Sybil Westland and Janet Milbum, and Ethel Hobbs plays the spiritualist medium, Madame Arcati. Sybil Westland has already played two leading roles for the Southern Comedy Players in “Salad Days” and "The Cat and the Canary.” Janet Milburn is a talented young character actress. Ethel Hobbs has made three New Zealand tours in the roles of Miss Prism (“The Importance of being Ernest”), Mildred Peake (“The Spider’s Web") and Mrs Pearce ("Pygmalion”). Mrs Hobbs Is from Timaru and has played in many local productions, notably in the role of Madame

Arcatl in which she now appears 1 again. 1 Also in the cast of “Blithe 1 Spirit” are Frank Grayson and i Peggy Turvey, both well-known 1 for their work with the company. “Blithe Spirit” is directed by i Grahame Clifford. , c