Spirit Level
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By Pam Valentine
Produced by Rover Dramawerks
Spirit Level by Pam Valentine is a sweet story of a famous author who drowned in a boating accident, along with his wife. Both are spirits, inhabiting their summer cottage in New Hampshire. When a young couple comes to rent the cottage, the ghostly pair find themselves connected to the young couple and steering them along. By doing so, they have an opportunity to realize some mistakes from their own lives that lead them to redemption and closure. Director Glynda Welch has assembled a stellar cast to bring this story to life with honesty, humor and heart.
We first meet realtor Mark Webster (played by Budd Mahan,) as he prepares to show the cottage of author Jack Cameron (played by Jeff York) and his lovely wife Susie (played by Heather York) who are the abiding spirit couple, often playing tricks on Webster, as to avoid possible renters of the place. The very refined Mahan is so masterfully befuddled by the constant moving of art and keys disappearing and reappearing, and his facial expressions are priceless. He tries so desperately to hold his composure as everything around him spins out of his control, and it is a joy to watch. Jack and Susie (who are actually married in real life) are magnificent together! Their chemistry is spot on and their banter is so believable of a husband and wife. They quickly evolve from a couple who don’t want to be bothered to almost parent-like guardians of the new renters Simon and Flic Willis (played by Sean M Lewis and Heather Roberts, respectively). Simon is a big fan of Jack Cameron and aspires to be a writer himself, while Flic, who is newly pregnant, is the young daughter of wealthy socialite and “monster” Marsha Bradshaw (played by Sue Goodner). Lewis has amazing comedic timing and is perfectly cast as Simon. He has some very funny moments while under the “influence” of Susie that are hysterical. Roberts is a perfect match for Simon and their interactions are fun to watch. Goodner, as the dramatically over-protective mother of Flic, is perfect! She embodies this role with style and just the perfect amount of “monster-in-law” to Simon. She commands attention and gets it. What a force on stage she is! And last, but not least is Guardian Angel, Margaret Young, who is summoned by Susie to assist them. She is charming in this role and is reminiscent of Mary Poppins. I enjoyed her immensely.
The cottage set design by Charles Welch is simple, neutral and beautiful, which makes costumes by Alison Kingwell more vibrant. Scene transitions by stage manager Paula Raven accompanied by time-appropriate music from sound designer Robbi Holman are seamless. Light and sound by Kenneth Hall is simple and illuminated the cast perfectly.
Spirit Level is a charming story, with so much to give–humor, passion, affection—you’ll be so glad you saw it! If you love feel-good stories and need a good emotion-check, this is a perfect show for you. The show runs for two more weekends at the Cox Playhouse in Plano. Visit roverdramawerks.com for tickets and showtimes.
Audience Rating: PG (minor language)
Accessible Seating: Yes
Hearing Devices Available: No
Production Sound Level: Comfortable
Noises and Sounds to Prepare For: None
Go See the Show!
Eddy Herring
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