Noel Coward's bitter sweet comedy about a husband and new bride haunted by his dead ex wife, thanks to a dotty old medium, is regularly revived. The considerable attraction this time is the chance to see living legend, Angel Landsbury in the star part.Coward gives her entrance quite a build up. We don't see her until the middle of the first act by which time you'll feel quite at home with novelist, Charles Condimine played in an understated way by Charles Edward and his wife, played immaculately by Janie Dee; the first of four phenomenal actresses giving memorable performances over the course of the evening. With such competition the two male actors don't really stand a chance.
Simon Higlett's set is the best I've ever seen for this play. The Condimine household can seem a little dowdy if you're expecting the up market glamour of Private Lives, the last Coward play at this theatre, that transported us to the French Riviera and a chic Paris apartment. They're an upwardly mobile, middle class couple although they do employ two servants, an unseen cook and a clumsy maid to whom Coward gives lots of fun business as she controls her natural inclination to race around the house. For once it's a beautiful house, warm and inviting as if lovingly decorated by the new wife who Dee manages to make great fun whilst never losing a sense of the steel underneath. This is a tigress who's going to fight for her mate.
They're joined for the evening by the Bradman's who Coward deliberately makes as dull as possible which is why it's such a delight that Serena Evans is surprisingly nuanced as Mrs. Bradman and you soon begin to notice the frayed nerves of a woman who's constantly being told to shut up, even by herself.
The two couples have gathered to help Charles research a novel he's writing about a disreputable spiritualist and they've invited local eccentric, Madame Arcati around to test and witness her powers. Everybody claims they're sceptical but the wives can't suppress a frisson of excitement. It's a thrill we in the audience feel too because she's played by the legendary Angela Lansbury. Ms Landsbury, a sprightly 88, was a big Broadway star in the 60s and 70s but secured her place in the firmament by also conquering Hollywood and TV with her much loved performance as Jesica Fletcher in Murder she Wrote.
The excitement is quite tangible in the build up to her entrance and then suddenly there she is, exploding through the up stage centre, double doors with all the charisma we'd hoped for. Not a glamorous figure but with the irresistible aura of a favourite aunt. She's dressed in the flowing autumnal colours much loved by eccentric old ladies with Princess Lea style hair buns on the side of her head which may or may not hide a mic and an ear piece through which she can be prompted.
Indeed their are a few moments when you fear Dame Angela may have forgotten the lines as Madame Arcarti trails off mid thought. But then she confounds expectations by slamming in with a punch line that's so funny everything's soon right back on track.
During the course of a rather underwhelming seance first wife Elvira is summoned from the afterlife. As played by Jemima Rooper she's a mischievous imp of a woman, naughty in life and in death. During her marriage to her stuffy husband she livened things up with various flirtatious with other men and in death she takes an infectious delight in playing tricks on the living who, apart from her ex-husband can't see her. Both wives really are polar opposites. One hearty and demanding the other mercurial and demanding and it's little wonder that their man crumbles under the strain of pleasing them both. A necessity that even Arcati can not rectify when she's unable to reverse the haunting.
The action does sag a little. This cast could learn a lot from the Private Lives team who proved that Coward's sparking dialogue is just as funny when skilfully played at top speed but you'll excuse the dips for the opportunity to see three wonderful actresses Dee, Evans and Rooper led by the indomitable Dame Angela.
With veteran director Michael Blakemore in control this is the kind of top draw theatre that belongs In the West End.
Heaven in the West End does exist and it can be found at the Prince of Wales Theatre.