Bell, Book and Candle

What a buzz to remember how enjoyable 1950s ‘well made plays’ were.  Strong characters, no social or political issues, just characters with conflicts and crises we can all identify with.

Director Nigel Munro-Wallis made astute choices of cast and steered the action with assured direction. His actors developed slick, confident dialogue and characters who engaged us, whether we believe in witchcraft or not.

Nikki McCrea, as Gillian Holyroyd, a proud and confident witch, finds herself succumbing to the charms of the man upstairs. Danger! Witches are supposed to be unable to fall in love or to cry. Shep Henderson (Aaron Bernard) is that charming and personable ‘man upstairs’, who is oblivious to what he has got himself into. Interfering werewolf and brother to Gillian, Nicholas (Andrew Whitmore), becomes involved, as does sweetly conniving Aunt Queenie (Sandra Harman). Pivotal to plot development is Sidney Redlitch (Stewart Kirkland). His opening drunk scene, physically and vocally, was W,C,Fields* quality. Finally there is Gillian’s cat, Pyewacket, whose gentleness belies wondrous powers to effect spells.

Casual observation: no stage or costume designer is identified but I could not help but notice the radiant reds of women’s costumes as the plot develops and greys and blacks when things turn for the worst. And whoever chose the 50s music for inter-scene fillers was spot on – the lyrics reflected the emotion or situation of the moment. Subtle but emotionally effective. Great show!

Jay McKee

(*W.C.Fields’ shtick in early movies was a drunk comic.)

Images: Sandra Harman (Queenie), Nikki McCrea (Gillian) and Andrew Whitmore (Nicky). Gillian has cast the spell to bring Sidney Redlitch to see her, and Nikki McCrea (Gillian) and Vincent Harman (Pyewacket) casting a spell to stop the book on witchcraft by Redlitch and her brother Nicky from being published.

Earlier coverage