Meddling creatively with the spiritual world can be a dicey business, as the producers of Bell, Book and Candle - John Van Druten’s 1950s tale of Big Apple-based witches and warlocks - are finding out. One original cast member was forced to drop out very late in the day, losing two planned performances before press night, while those trying to get to the first Sunday matinee were defeated by a sudden - though not so mysterious - lack of trains on Docklands Light Railway.
The good news though for this mostly engaging production is that in late substitute, Carole Street - the character of Queenie Holroyd - proves to be one of the highlights. When the action does get a little leaden due to an over-involved script, Street’s Auntie witch-role injects humour, and the right level of charming eccentricity.
Zoe Teverson, in the central role of Gillian Holroyd, works really hard throughout to keep the production on mysterious message, almost credible and pretty entertaining. As does Stephen Cavanagh, who as Shepherd Henderson is preyed upon and caught in a web of black magic intrigue - and we’re not talking boxes of chocolates. Like real life relationships, on stage the two have good moments and some not so impressive ones, but when their love eventually conquers all, robbing Gillian of her witching powers and she’s able to cry for the very first time - a few tissues actually appeared in the audience on the night. It’s a fine, pivotal moment and one that, given her impressive performance, Teverson fully deserves. At times this wasn’t that spellbinding, but with support from Duncan MacInnes as coven family member Nicky Holroyd, and John Sears playing magic book hack author Sidney Redlitch, there’s enough solid talent in this production’s cauldron to cook up a decent night’s entertainment. You even get an all-purring, battery-powered cat in the role of Pyewacket, the mystical confidant of Gillian. Given the length of run, hopefully the feline is fitted with Duracells.