Arcati Through The Ages
A look at 8 notable interpretations of Madame Arcati over the last 80 years.
“Arcati is a great creation because she must, as Noël insisted, be played as real, not a caricature.”
- Russell Jackson, Emeritus Professor of Drama, University of Birmingham, UK
In the last part, Arcati… Always, we looked at the origins of the character of Madame Arcati. This time, we look at 8 notable actors who have played the role over the last 80 years. Some of the most popular names in British theatre have taken on the role – some of which may surprise you. Did you know that Hattie Jacques (of the Carry On… films and much more) played the role on TV in the 1960s? Read on to find out more…
“It would be amusing to compare all your casts [of Blithe Spirit]. I would back the New York, they couldn’t be beaten.”
- Violet Coward to her son, letter March 3rd 1942 (Noël Coward Archive Trust)
Narrowing down the list has been an almost impossible task, and you may have seen others who deserve a mention, in which case, let us know in the comments or on social media. Perhaps you saw Elizabeth Spriggs in the National Theatre production, directed by Harold Pinter? OR perhaps you listened to Maggie Steed on BBC Radio 4? Other famous character actors to have donned bicycle clips and summoned the spirits are Marcia Warren, Alison Steadman, Stephanie Cole and Peggy Mount.
But here is our list:
1. MARGARET RUTHERFORD
Coward & Natwick, photographer unknown, Geoffrey Johnson Collection, NCAT
We start with the original and – some say – best Arcati of them all, Margaret Rutherford. Famed for her numorous ‘eccentric spinster’ roles in films such as The Importance of Being Earnest and adaptations of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple stories, Rutherford seemed a natural fit for the role of Madame Arcati. Thanks to the 1940s film adaptation in which she starred with Rex Harrison, her interpretation is now inextricably linked with the play and to many fans of the play, she IS Arcati.
2. MILDRED NATWICK
As mentioned in PART 1 of this series, Coward thought Natwick much closer to his original vision for Arcati and acted alongside her in the CBS Television production. She is remembered for roles in films such as She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, The Court Jester and Barefoot In The Park. She also had an extensive stage career, with two Tony nominations – the second for the Kander & Ebb Musical 70, Girls, 70. Her CBS TV performance can be found here:
3. BEA LILLIE
Beatrice Lillie, NCAT
Coward’s old friend Beatrice Lillie took on the role in the musical adaptation High Spirits. Find out what Coward thought if this adaptation in part 2 of this series: Blithe Spirit: Afterlife. The Canadian-born actress made her name in revues and gave the first public performance of Mad Dogs And Englishmen in Coward’s The Third Little Show. On film, she is probably best remembered for her performance as Mrs Meers in Thoroughly Modern Millie. She was awarded a special Tony in 1953 for An Evening With Beatrice Lillie.
4. HATTIE JACQUES
Often forgotten now is that Hattie Jacques - star of numerous Carry On… films and popular sitcoms – played Madame Arcati in the ITV production of Blithe Spirit in 1964, part of a series of Coward adaptations introduced by the playwright himself.
5. PENELOPE KEITH
No stranger to performing Coward (having memorably played in Private Lives, Hay Fever and Star Quality), Penelope Keith appeared at the Savoy Theatre, London in a production directed by Thea Sharrock. It seems that the production chose to present Arcati in a more down-to-earth manner and revealing aspects of the characters stage directions that often go unnoticed, in particular, “on passing a mirror… she surveys herself critically for a moment and adjusts her hair”:
Penelope Keith rescues the spiritualist Madame Arcati, whose seance wreaks such marital havoc, from the realm of the dotty old fool, reimagining her as a middle-class enthusiast who knows on which side her bread is buttered, and exactly the effect she is having. There is a lovely moment when she checks her hair in the mirror before the seance, like a diva about to take to the stage.
- Lyn Gardner, The Guardian
6. ANGELA LANSBURY
Star of stage and screens big and small, Angela Lansbury appeared on Broadway and in the West End in a major revival. It was a performance that won her a remarkable fifth Tony Award.
“Seeing Angela Lansbury as Arcati was a joy. She perfectly captured the comedy of the character's true English eccentricity while not making her a caricature. Her wild invocation dance at the beginning of the seance scene, which somehow seemed to meld Egyptian hieroglyphic poses with coquettish 1920s flapper moves, was unforgettable.”
- Brad Rosenstein, Curator Noël Coward Art & Style, Guildhall Art Gallery
7. JENNIFER SAUNDERS
The most recent stage Arcati on our list is the renowned comedy performer Jennifer Saunders. The Theatre Royal, Bath production which opened in 2019 and then toured the UK landed in the West End in March 2020, just before the Coronavirus pandemic shuttered theatres for about a year. The production is now set to re-open at the Harold Pinter Theatre in September 2021. Why not celebrate the 80th Anniversary by booking to see this production? Tickets are available here.
8. JUDI DENCH
Costume for Judi Dench, designed Charlotte Walker, on display at Guildhall Art Gallery
The final Arcati on our list is the most recent: Judi Dench, who appeared in the 2021 movie adaptation. The script, which moved away from Coward’s original developed Dench’s Arcati in an adaptation that drew out both the slapstick and the emotion of the underlying story. Dench’s Arcati is found performing in the theatre and is given a romantic back story. As might be expected, hers is a nuanced and very watchable performance, bringing a new dimension to a character, who (she began at the lower end of Coward’s stage directions “forty-five to sixty-five”) would now be celebrating her 125th birthday.
Dench’s costume, designed by Charlotte Walker, is a highlight of the Noel Coward: Art & Style exhibition, which you can see at the Guildhall Art Gallery, London now.
That brings us to the end of Arcati Through The Ages. Do you have a favourite performance you’d like to share with us? Tell us in the comments or get in touch on social media to tell us who we’ve missed out!
NEXT TIME: We’ll be looking at Blithe Spirit now and in the next 80 years.
