The Cottage is a Wonderfully Light Comedy in the Style of a Noel Coward Play at the Gremlin Theatre

The Cottage by Sandy Rustin is the sort of comedy Noël Coward might have written, if he were writing today, and a woman. It isn’t vulgar, but it carries a distinctly modern sensibility, freer than the comedies of manners Coward penned in the 1920s and ’30s.

The play opens in 1923 at a country cottage, where two lovers, Sylvia and Beau, have just spent a night together. We quickly learn they are both married, and, in fact are brother- and sister-in-law. In a fit of impulsive honesty, Sylvia has sent telegrams to their respective spouses confessing the affair, assuming she and Beau will simply move on and marry each other. Naturally, this decision brings those spouses, and a few surprise guests, crashing onto the scene. To reveal more would spoil the fun, but suffice it to say this is an old-fashioned farce with a decidedly modern, feminist edge.

Sarah Malfara opens and closes the play alone on stage as Sylvia. At first, her performance feels overly mannered, but it soon becomes clear this is intentional, Sylvia is “playing house,” posing within a role of her own creation. As revelations unfold, Malfara gradually strips away that façade. By the end, she has transformed from a fluttering romantic into a clear-eyed woman firmly in control of her own narrative. It’s a terrific turn from an actor I was previously unfamiliar with, and Malfara keeps the audience constantly reassessing both her performance and Sylvia herself.

All Is Calm alum Sasha Andreev puts his dashing good looks to excellent use as Beau, a man who clearly has no trouble attracting women. Andreev is as adept at turning on the charm as he is at landing sharp comedic beats, particularly in his well played exits after a confrontation with a potentially deadly visitor. Mira Davis, as the delightfully unpredictable Dierdre, makes the most of every entrance (often from unexpected places) and mines plenty of laughs from her character’s… incapacitated state. Corey DiNardo (Clarke) and Shana Eisenberg (Marjorie), the wronged spouses, most strongly evoke the classic 1920s British comedy-of-manners style, while still sneaking in some wonderfully surprising flourishes. And Chance Carroll, as Richard, delivers one of the evening’s biggest surprises with a transformation that once again upends expectations.

The Cottage is a light but thoroughly delightful comedy, packed with unexpected twists, entrances, and revelations. Just when it has exhausted its surprises, it lands on a message that feels fully earned. Director Brian Balcom captures the spirit of a Noël Coward comedy with precision while allowing Rustin’s modern voice to shine through.

The Cottage runs through August 2 at the Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and tickets, visit https://gremlintheatre.org/the-cottage/

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