Charles Condomine is a successful novelist. Ruth is his charming, strong-willed wife. In order to conduct research for Charles’s latest book, they invite a medium to their home to perform a seance, expecting that the eccentric psychic and clairvoyant, Madame Arcati, will be a comical fraudster.

But she summons a ghost from Charles’ past: Elvira, his first wife, who makes continual attempts to disrupt Charles’ marriage to Ruth.

The play, written in 1941, humorously mocks the traditions of love and marriage and is a firm favourite with actors and audiences.

“It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit” – Charles