NOEL Cowards hero, Charles Condomine, is a novelist who finds himself haunted by his ghostly first wife, Elvira, and emotionally dominated by his second wife, Ruth.

Considering the length of the play this talented cast never once let the pace drop and credit must be given to Director Eileen Rawlings.

Every performance captured the spirit of the script and managed to deliver the many clever lines with throwaway ease, which is perfect for this play Lotte Fletcher-Jonk excelled as the uptight Ruth, trying to come to grips with the ‘madness’ of Charles, as she can’t see or hear Elvira at all.

Brian Woolton played Charles convincingly as did Barbara Brann as Elvira. Sophie Roberts was excellent as Edith and, although only small parts, Dr and Mrs Bradman made their mark.

However the star of this show was most definitely Stewart Barlow as Madam Arcati. Right from his first entrance I completely forgot he was not a woman. He played with perfect comic timing and succeeded in personifying the off-beat, loony medium, more in sync with other worlds, than concrete reality.

The set, as ever, was superb as were the costumes.