The Cottage at Alleyway Theatre is First Rate, Frothy, and Fine

The Cottage is presented at the Alleyway Theatre, 1 Curtain Up Alley, Buffalo, NY 14202, runs through Sept. 27. For tickets visit alleyway.com

THUMBNAIL SKETCH: The Cottage by Sandy Rustin. Set in an English country estate in 1923, THE COTTAGE is an entertaining romantic farce where secrets fly, alliances shift, and passions ignite as Sylvia boldly exposes her year-long affair to both her husband and her lover’s wife. Director David E. Shane leads some of Buffalo’s most zany performers in this laugh-out-loud romp.

RUNTIME: About two hours including intermission

THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION:

SANDY RUSTIN has been named by American Theatre Magazine as one of the “Most-Produced Playwrights” in the U.S thanks to her adaptation of CLUE (over 4,000 productions worldwide). Her comedy, THE COTTAGE, which premiered recently on Broadway, has been described as a modern take on a Noel Coward comedy but with a feminist point of view. This is a new and challenging concept for a playwright and Ms. Rustin does Mr. Coward proud. There are flashes of Amanda and Sybil. There are flashes of Elvira and Charles. All that was missing was a dash of Madam Arcati. The Cottage is like Private Lives and Blithe Spirits on steroids!

What the audience witnessed last night at Industry Night at the Alleyway Theatre was a minor miracle. Due to several extenuating circumstances, two major roles in this difficult piece had to be recast, learned, and rehearsed in only 4 days. The performance we saw was this company’s first complete run through of the play. And it was terrific! If director David E. Shane hadn’t clued us in after the curtain call, the audience never would have suspected a thing. Many kudos to Mr. Shane, to the entire cast and crew, and, especially to the two actresses who stepped up to the plate so impressively – Anna Krempholtz and Paige Cummings.

This is not an easy play to perform. It is densely packed with difficult dialogue – true to the Noel Coward style. And, in this style, lines must be delivered at such rapid speed that you wonder when the actors had time to breathe. Director Shane keeps the proceedings clipping along at this required pace and has added appropriate farce-like touches.

The cast is a talented ensemble and everyone gives the production 100%. Anna Krempholtz sparkles throughout the evening – from the moment she floats on stage wrapped in a cloud of a peignoir till her coming into her own at the end of the play. Todd Benzin plays her persnickety lover and is at his absolute best when he totally lets go in Act 2. It’s wonderful to see the Alleyway’s Artistic Director on the boards again and Chris J. Handley is adorable as the blustery and bug-eyed husband. Paige Cummings is lots of fun as the daffy and free-spirited other woman – especially when she’s been imbibing. And Dan Lendzian is equally amusing and, with the mustache on, is a dead-ringer for Nathan Lane.

The surprise of the evening is Kelly Copps who has graduated from pretty ingenue to glamorous leading lady over the years, but, this time, has a character role. She is dour and sour-faced (except when reminiscing about good times in a stable!) and provides a great contrast to the rest of the off-the-wall characters.

Adding to this confection of a production are the lovely set by Tim McMath, well-detailed (even sock garters) period costumes by Collin Rainey, lights and sound by masterly Emma Schimminger, and some very amusing props by Diana Almeter Jones.

This is a polished and creatively directed British-style farce with a high-flying cast and lots of laughs.

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