THE COTTAGE – Written by Sandy Rustin; Directed by Kelly Van Oosbree. Produced by Platte Valley Theatre Arts (Presented at the Armory, 300 Strong Street, Brighton) through May 17. Tickets available at PlatteValleyTheatreArts.org.
You can always count on a good time when you visit a Kelly Van Oosbree production in Brighton or anywhere for that matter. She takes the words and intent in a script to new heights with her imagination and creativity. When the words are funny, she enhances them with unexpected physicality and schtick. When the words are dramatic, she will create an environment that encourages authenticity and honest emotion from her cast. When there’s music involved, watch out! You’ll see stories with new eyes that allow her interpretation to take the most familiar and make it sparkle with originality. Put a script in KVO’s hands and it’s automatically better. This particular little bundle of fluff went from a scone to a creme puff under her direction.
Each of her cast entered into the fun of the ridiculous script with energy and enthusiasm. Ms. Rustin’s sense of the absurd knows no bounds. I can imagine her in her studio pondering, “Now what would happen if we had two brothers who were married to two lovely women but having an affair with the other’s wife?” And she’s off! She endows all the characters with sardonic senses of humor and a need for honesty. But wait! Let’s throw two more characters in the mix to see what happens. How about a second mistress and her murderous husband with a mysterious past? The rollicking fun just gets better and better.
This cast took the improbable story and told it with seriousness, genuine shock and fear, and made it deadpan funny. Bill Diggle is the rather prim, slightly stuffy Beau married to Marjorie and away for a weekend with his sister-in-law Sylvia. You get the feeling that he’s OK with keeping his once-a-year appointment with her but wouldn’t be heartbroken if it didn’t happen. Sylvia, on the other hand, played by Sarah Kit Farrell, lived for this “same time next year” scandalous scenario. She fancies herself truly in Love (with a capitol L) and is over the top bubbly. Ms. Ferrell oozes comic timing and gives off a sort of Bette Midler “no-holds-barred” vibe as she navigates through the real time changes in her life during the two hour play.
The second brother is Clarke, even more stuffy than his sibling and hopelessly enamored with his sister-in-law, Marjorie, while married to Sylvia. Clarke is given henpecked life by Cory Lowe as most of his lines start with “Yes, Dear.” His very pregnant Dear is the commanding Jordann Zbylski who forces the confrontation at the cottage because she’s tired of sneaking around and wants everything out in the open. Of course, they are British – so everything is VERY civilized. The arrival of the final two characters – Diedre, a ditzy blonde, and Richard, her jealous husband – played by Alex Jacobsen and Adam Luhrs – add an element of surprise and danger to the afternoon. Your mental scorecard fills up fast with the changes of partners all happening at a breakneck pace.
It is a pity that the PVTA group only run their offerings for two weeks; they deserve a longer run so that more people can enjoy. But it remains – if you are looking for a fun date night this weekend, drive up to Brighton, have dinner at one of the dozens of great Mexican restaurants up there, and pop on over to the Armory to laugh yourself silly — and revel in your stable relationship. You aren’t anything like these crazy people in this play . . . . Right?
A WOW factor of 8.5!!