An Improbable Farce in Three Acts.

Scene 1 - Before dinner on a summer evening 

The scene is in de living room of the Condomines'
house in Kent. The room is light, attractive and comfortably furnished. On the right there are French windows opening on to the garden. On the left there is an open fireplace. At the back, on the left there are double doors leading into the dining room. 
Up left on an angle, there are double doors leading to the hall,
the stairs, and the servants'quarters. There is a wood fire burning, 
because it is an English summer evening.
 

Scene 2 - After dinner.

Blithe Spirit is the story of a middle aged writer who decides to host a seance as research for a novel he is planning to write about a murderous fake psychic. He is a remarried widower, and the evening begins with a casual chat about his first wife Elvira’s seemingly unquenchable taste for life which came 
to an abrupt end six years before. 

Scene 1 - The next morning.

It is about nine-thirty. The sun is pooring in through 
the open French windows. Ruth is sitting at the breakfast table, drinking coffee and reading the Times. After a few moments Charles comes in. He kisses her.

Scene 2 - Late the following afternoon.

Ruth is sitting alone at the tea table, which is set in
front of the fire. After a moment or two she gets up and,
frowning thoughtfully, goes over to the piano and takes 
a cigarette out of a box. As she returns to the table the
front doorbell rings. She hears it and straightens herself 
as though preparing for a difficult interview.

Scene 3 - Early evening. A few days later 

Mrs. Bradman is sitting in an armchair. Ruth is standing 
by the window drumming on the pane with her fingers.

The conversation seems to pass without upset for his present wife, Ruth, but when the seance conjures up Elvira in ghost form, things take a decided turn for the worse. Though only he can see her, Elvira’s presence puts considerable strain upon Charles’ relationship with Ruth, and forces him to reassess his 
attitudes towards love and marriage. 

Scene 1 -  After dinner. A few days later

Charles is standing before the fire drinking his after-dinner coffee.
He is in deep mourning. He finishes his coffee, puts the cup down
on the mantlepiece, lights a cigarette and settles himself
comfortably in an armchair. He adjusts a reading lamp and with
a sigh of well-being opens a novel and begins to read. 
There is a ring at the front doorbell. 
With an exclamation of annoyance he puts down the book, 
gets up and goes out into the hall. 
After a moment Madame Arcati comes in and is 
wearing strange rather barbaric clothes.

Scene 2 -  Several hours later 

The whole room is in a slight disarray. There are birch branches
and evergreens laid on the floor in front of the doors an crossed
birch branches pinned rather untidily onto the curtains.
the furniture has been moved about a bit.
On the bridge table there is a pile of playing cards, 
Madame Arcat's crystal and a Oyija board. 
Also a plate of snadwiches and two empty beer  mugs. 
Madame Arcati is streched out on the sofa with her eyes shut. Elvira is seated at the bridge table looking despondently 
at the debris. Ruth is by the fire place. 
Charles is walking irritably about the room.

Has he really gotten over Elvira? 
Are things really so great with Ruth after all? 
How is Ruth herself to cope with the literal 
specter of her predecessor? 
And just what is Elvira up to anyway? 
Does she have nefarious designs upon her 
former husband’s very life?

Blithe Spirit is a droll comedy about 
life and death in English society.