Bell, Book and Candle

Synopsis

Comedy about witchcraft and romance. It’s Christmas Eve, 1950 in Manhattan, but young witch Gillian Holroyd’s mood is more restless than festive. She wants something different this season, perhaps in the form of her attractive new tenant Shepherd Henderson. Problem is, he’s engaged to Gillian’s former school rival, and Gillian suspects she hasn’t got time to win him over before his New Year’s Eve wedding announcement. Unless, of course, she exercises her extraordinary powers to bind him with a spell. But that’s no challenge - or is it?

Our Review:

15 November 2011

Is the young man you have your heart set on already betrothed, not only to someone else, but to your old college enemy? Well the solution is simple: cast a spell!

This is exactly what Gillian Holroyd, the young witch at the heart of John Van Druton’s delightfully quirky romantic comedy, decides to do. But, as every self-respecting witch knows only too well, magic cannot really conjure true love, and deep water beckons.

The original 1950 production of Bell, Book and Candle was a Broadway hit starring Rex Harrison and was later made into a movie seeing James Stewart take his last romantic lead. The play is also said to have inspired the more recent, much-loved television series, Bewitched.

The action takes place in the festive front room of Gillian’s Greenwich Village (New York, not London!) apartment on and around Christmas Eve, 1950. The scene is one of tranquil and cosy domesticity as the audience take their seats to strains of "Si...

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