ultimately, this fleshed-out fantasy is neither as funny, as fierce nor as fearsome as the source material; This "Blithe Spirit" dilutes the original's heady cocktail, serving up a sugary punch rather than a dry martini
the farce feels a bit dated, but it's a perky and stylish period production, set on a glorious art deco estate, and it moves at a brisk-enough pace to keep our attention
an energetic but scattershot version of a property which might have been best left to rest in peace; Very little of the opulent, extensive backdrop is left unchewed by Dan Stevens, whose performance is pitched at the pantomime end of the spectrum
a cracking cast do their best to breathe fresh life into this enjoyable but dated farce; Edward Hall doesn't bring a great deal of visual ingenuity to the table, but his take is 'spirited' enough and he's assembled some game players
by Robbie Collin [Daily Telegraph (UK) ]
by Emma Simmonds [Radio Times ]
