by Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman
A woman walks onto a stage; she sits on a couch in a ridiculous pose that’s supposed to be seductive, readjusts herself into an even more ridiculous pose and waits, garnering uproarious laughter from the audience. This is how The Cottage begins and thus the tone is set for the rest of the play. This past weekend I saw it at Queens Theater and for about two hours I sat entranced and amused by the hysterical play.
I can’t decide if The Cottage is supposed to be a farce or a parody. The setting is in the 1920’s in the English countryside and so the characters all speak with British accents that are most likely intentionally horrible. The group of six is led by Michelle Federer, the star of the show, who is also the most talented one, with impeccable comic delivery and hysterical facial expressions. She plays a woman who is having an affair with her husband’s brother and decides one morning to send a telegram to her husband and sister-in-law to tell them about it. What happens afterwards is very surprising for both her and the audience and there are more surprises in store, which I won’t give away. What I will say is that all six actors are perfect for their roles and use body language and facial expressions in a manner that will get you to at least smile, if not laugh out loud.
The well-written play by playwright/actor/comedienne Sandy Rustin is peppered with jokes throughout. While it’s not supposed to be a realistic play and the characters are more like caricatures than real people, the issues they are dealing with – true love, faithfulness and destiny – are very real and easy to identify with. At times the play seems like a long and funny Saturday Night Live sketch, at others, more like a Broadway play (the scenic design and costumes are very impressive). Regardless of what it is, it’s good entertainment and pure pleasure to watch. It’s playing this weekend only so be sure to go see it!
When: 11/14/14 – 2pm & 8pm
11/15/14 – 2pm & 8pm
11/16/14 – 3pm
Where: 14 United Nations Avenue South
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
Price: $25-$42
To purchase tickets click here or call at box office (718) 760-0064
Photos by Mark Levine
I was not compensated for this post. I received tickets to the show.
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Senior Reviewer Maytal Wichman is the owner of Mama’s Bites and has also written for The Huffington Post. She has been living in New York City for thirteen years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but blogging is her true passion. Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to three kids (ages 7, 5 and 2) and loves finding great products that make her family’s life easier.
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