Pontiac Theatre IV Brings the Charm in ‘The Cottage’
Buckle up and get ready to join the most deserved crash-out of the century. That is the energy The Cottage by Sandy Rustin brings to Pontiac Theatre IV. This fast-moving romantic comedy thrives on chaos, timing, and the joy of watching bad decisions collide in spectacular fashion. Set in 1923 England, the play drops its audience into a web of affairs, marriages, and emotional miscalculations, then happily lets everything spiral.
[Warning: Spoilers from Pontiac Theatre IV’s production of The Cottage are below!]
A humorous core makes for an enjoyable trip to The Cottage
From the start, The Cottage makes its intentions clear. This is a show built on momentum. Doors open and close, secrets spill, and misunderstandings multiply at a rapid pace. The humor rarely pauses long enough for the audience to catch its breath, and that constant motion becomes part of the appeal. Instead of relying on repeated jokes, the comedy builds in layers, stacking reactions, entrances, and revelations until the absurdity becomes unavoidable. The pacing never feels careless, and each escalation is clearly intentional.
What makes this production especially effective is how well the cast functions as a unit. This kind of heightened comedy depends heavily on chemistry and timing, and this ensemble delivers both. There are a few moments where the audience is not laughing, whether at a sharply delivered line, a visual gag, or a perfectly timed reaction that lands just as hard as the dialogue itself. Just as importantly, the cast knows when to let a moment breathe, allowing anticipation to work in their favor.
Pontiac Theatre IV delivers a wonderful performance thanks to a fantastic cast
At the center of the chaos is Olivia Motzer as Sylvia, whose comedic timing is consistently precise. Sylvia is dramatic, impulsive, and entirely convinced she knows what she wants, even when it is clear she does not. Motzer embraces those contradictions with ease, grounding Sylvia’s heightened behavior in clear emotional intent. Her delivery is sharp, and her ability to navigate overlapping conversations and escalating tension keeps the story focused even as it spins wildly around her. She commands attention without overpowering the ensemble.
Michael Sullivan’s Beau establishes himself as a standout almost immediately, earning laughs the moment he steps onstage, particularly in a pair of heart-covered boxers that perfectly set the tone for his character. Sullivan brings strong physical comedy to the role, using movement and expression to heighten the humor without overwhelming it. His confident physicality complements the rapid dialogue, making Beau a constant source of energy whenever he is onstage.
Chelsea Leslie as Marjorie delivers one of the most quietly effective performances of the evening. While she has strong moments in the spotlight, much of her comedy lives in the background of scenes, where a look, a reaction, or a perfectly timed line under her breath helps tie the chaos together. Leslie has a keen awareness of when not to pull focus, allowing her character to serve as a connecting thread as everything around her unravels. Her understated approach strengthens the humor rather than competing with it, and many of her background beats land just as hard as the larger jokes.
Russell Boyle’s Clarke, meanwhile, delivers a grounded, emotionally responsive performance that balances the heightened comedy surrounding him. Boyle plays Clarke with such sincerity that his confusion, frustration, and vulnerability feel genuine, heightening the absurdity of the situations he is pulled into. His reactions often serve as the audience’s entry point into the madness, anchoring scenes that might otherwise tip into excess. Together, Leslie and Boyle create a dynamic that gives the play emotional weight beneath the laughter, ensuring the comedy never feels hollow.
Later in the show, Anne Slee as Deirdre and Tim Wheeling as Richard enter seamlessly into the established rhythm. Late arrivals can sometimes disrupt the flow of a tightly paced comedy, but both actors step into the chaos effortlessly. Their presence adds new complications without slowing the momentum, pushing the story closer to its inevitable collisions and giving the final act a satisfying sense of escalation.
Complexities aren’t a problem in The Cottage
One of The Cottage’s strongest qualities is how clearly it handles its own complexity. With multiple affairs, marriages, and shifting loyalties, it would be easy for the story to become confusing. Instead, the tone and humor keep everything accessible. Even when it becomes difficult to track who is sleeping with or married to whom, the audience is never lost. The clarity of the performances ensures the comedy always lands where it is intended.
Beyond the laughs, the play offers a fresh and engaging look at marriage and love. While its structure recalls classic comedies of manners, the perspective feels modern. The show avoids moralizing or punishing its characters for their desires. Instead, it highlights the unrealistic expectations placed on relationships and the ways people justify their own contradictions. Love, as portrayed here, is messy, impulsive, and deeply human, and that honesty gives the humor its edge.
By the final moments, The Cottage has fully earned its applause. Pontiac Theatre IV’s production understands the demands of this style of comedy and meets them with confidence, delivering a polished, energetic, and consistently entertaining performance. The audience response throughout the evening reflects that success, with laughter remaining steady from beginning to end.
For audiences looking for a night of sharp physical comedy, strong ensemble work, and a cast clearly enjoying every second onstage, The Cottage is an easy recommendation. Once the chaos begins, there is no slowing it down, and that is exactly what makes the experience so enjoyable.
The Cottage runs at Pontiac Theatre IV for one more weekend, closing on February 1st, so get your tickets now from their website! Have you seen this production of The Cottage yet? What did you think? Let us know @bsb.insider on all social media platforms!
Exclusive Interview: Tiffany Stano of Pontiac IV Theatre’s The Cottage
