Review: Farce Flourishes in Ottawa Little Theatre's THE COTTAGE

Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of Sandy Rustin’s The Cottage treats Ottawa audiences to a modern farce. Rustin, one of the most-produced playwrights in North America, draws inspiration from early twentieth century drawing room comedies and uses familiar ingredients, such as romantic entanglements, hidden motives, and escalating misunderstandings.

Even before the show begins, the house music, featuring selections from the 1920s, sets the tone perfectly, easing the audience into the time period and creating a sense of anticipation, contributing to the overall experience.

The Cottage is set at a secluded country home in the 1920s England. It is here that Sylvia (Karine Charland) meets with her lover, Beau (Steven Wright), once a year for a secret rendezvous. Their plan for a quiet, romantic weekend quickly unravels when Marjorie (Kate Salmon), Clarke (Jonathan Morel), and Dierdre (Mannon Barré) show up unexpectedly, each carrying their own secrets, suspicions, and emotional baggage. As the relationships overlap and truths threaten to emerge, the characters scramble to maintain control of the situation. Once they can no longer keep their stories straight, everything begins to fall apart spectacularly, especially when another mysterious character (Grant Moore) enters the fray.

A successful farce depends on actor chemistry, lighting fast reactions, and crisp pacing, and this ensemble delivers all three. The cast is energetic and maintains a good rhythm throughout the evening, even when the play’s pacing starts to drag a bit in the second half. Their comedic timing is sharp, and their shared enjoyment of the material keeps the momentum buoyant. The London accents are uneven at times, yet this inconsistency somehow adds to the heightened humour rather than distracting from it.

The standout achievement of this production is Chelsey Prince’s extraordinary stage design. Ottawa Little Theatre has created a two-storey structure that immediately commands attention. The design includes a swinging door that leads to an offstage kitchen area, which cleverly expands the cottage beyond the visible stage. A secret passageway provides a theatrical flourish that suits the genre perfectly, somewhat reminiscent of Clue, which Rustin also adapted from the screen to the stage. Stained glass details add a luxurious finish and create a visual richness that is truly impressive for a community theatre production.

Peggy Laverty’s costumes have been well chosen for the period and complement the set, enhancing the production’s polished appearance while supporting the comedic style.

The Cottage is genuinely funny and earns the consistent laughter it receives from the audience. Some plot points are predictable; however, that predictability becomes part of the charm, especially since farce thrives on the audience knowing more than the characters. The story and humour are adult oriented, which makes this show best suited for grown up audiences who enjoy a bit of theatrical mischief.

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