ALL’S FAIR IN
LOVE AND FARCE

A scandalous country-house comedy serves
up infidelity, impeccable manners, and
deliciously unexpected complications

Taubert Nadalini, Abby Leigh Huffstetler, & Katie Karel

Let’s just start with the accolades: The Cottage is a delightful, fast-paced comedy that packs a lot of laughter in, along with some surprisingly insightful moments as well. The show, written in 2013 but set in 1923, feels like something Oscar Wilde would have written, if he dared to be this bold. It’s a soap opera on speed, full of colorful characters, exquisitely fun twists and turns, and juicy performances.

Jacob Caltrider & Taubert Nadalini

Part of the reason for the strong recommendation right up front is that Sandy Rustin’s script starts surprising us very quickly; the less you know going in, the better and funnier it is. For those of you who trust my reviews enough to just go see what I love, skip past everything else I say below and just buy your tickets now; let director Shana Wride’s brisk and playfully paced energy and the laughs she helps create between the lines unfold for you without forewarning. For those who need more, read on:

Taubert Nadalini & Katie Karel

Meet Sylvia (Katie Karel) and Beau (Taubert Nadalini—whom I loved in NCRT’s The Angel Next Door). We are introduced to them as they are enjoying the aftermath of their annual secret romantic rendezvous at a charming English country cottage in the summer of 1923. Sylvia is blissfully happy and convinced that their affair should finally become a permanent relationship, instead of each of their existing marriages. Beau, however, seems considerably less eager to change his comfortable arrangement with his wife Marjorie (Lauren Weinberg). Complicating matters, Sylvia’s husband is Beau’s brother, Clarke (Jacob Caltrider).

Lauren Weinberg, Katie Karel, & Abby Leigh Huffstetler

Determined to stop all this sneaking around, Sylvia decides to take matters into her own hands. In a bold, impulsive move, she sends telegrams to both Clarke and Marjorie revealing the affair and announcing her intentions. Beau is understandably alarmed by her decision, while Sylvia seems almost giddy with the prospect of a fresh start. The arrival of Dierdre (Abby Leigh Huffstetler), another key figure in the life of one of the four (trying not to spoil TOO much!), adds yet another complication to an already precarious situation.

Lauren Weinberg, Jacob Caltrider, Katie Karel, & Taubert Nadalini

The humor comes from the characters’ scandalous behavior contrasted with their impeccable British manners, along with Sylvia’s romantic enthusiasm and Beau’s growing discomfort. The tension builds as the consequences of Sylvia’s impulsive announcement become increasingly unavoidable, much to our delight. While Sylvia could arguably be called the central character, this is such a strong ensemble piece that no one really steals the show, despite wonderful moments for everyone. Wride adds some terrific sight gags, especially around smoking.

Lauren Weinberg, Jacob Caltrider, Taubert Nadalini, Abby Leigh Huffstetler, Josh Cahn, & Katie Karel

What is surprising, within so much silliness, is that there are some real ahead-of-their-time realizations by the characters that don’t feel as though they were forced in ninety years later; they ring true for the cottage guests. When the line “Faithfulness is an entirely separate issue from marriage” is spoken, it feels right in the moment, rather than being a forecast of the many different ways relationships will work a century later. The characters, in the midst of farce, get to examine tough questions like, “Do we really want to know everything, even if we could be happier if we never do?”

Taubert Nadalini, Lauren Weinberg & Jacob Caltrider

Scenic design by Sean Fanning is so lovely that I enjoyed watching people enter the theatre after me, having strong reactions to the gorgeous cottage; many of us should be so lucky as to take our next vacation in a place that nice!

So you made me spill the sauce. Hopefully, there’s still plenty in the bottle for you to enjoy when you go take in this spirited bunch of highly flawed people who make for such a scrumptious two hours together.

Taubert Nadalini & Abby Leigh Huffstetler

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photos by Aaron Rumley

The Cottage
North Coast Repertory Theatre
987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach
2 hours with intermission
Wed–Fri at 7; Sat at 2 & 8; Sun at 2 & 7; Wed at 2 (Nov. 18)
ends on December 6, 2026
for tickets, call 858.481.1055 or visit North Coast Rep

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