Welcome to Sylvia Van Kipness’ maddening world, where she wakes up to a dream that increasingly becomes — not exactly a nightmare — but certainly a series of kerfuffles that turn into an outright brouhaha.

Set in 1923, Sandy Rustin's “The Cottage,” on stage through September 14 at Wichita Community Theatre, is a period (yet modern) spoof on mischievous relationship comedies by the likes of clever British writers Noel Coward, Ben Travers, and Alan Ayckbourn. Those writers delighted in poking fun at upper class pretensions and social norms.

Here, Rustin takes a swing at the satirists themselves by borrowing the conventions they reliably applied: the dubious sexual mores of the rich, ample absurd plots twists, witty verbal swordplay, and the propensity of these characters to indulge nonstop in smoking and drinking alcohol, even first thing in the morning. 

Rustin’s play debuted on Broadway in 2023, and while it bears a few crass earmarks of a modern comedy, it maintains the brisk, buoyant pace and provocative dialogue of works like Ayckbourn's “The Norman Conquests” and Coward’s “Private Lives.” Director Mary Lou Phipps-Winfrey is clearly familiar with the style of classic comedy she is called to parody and creates an entertaining balance between quick-witted tête-à-tête and audacious physical comedy. A breath of fresh autumn air, opening night’s production was brisk, light, and full of laughs. 

Holland Lee Kiser is Sylvia, a charming woman who is evolving emotionally whether she wants to or not. Turns out she didn’t have it all figured out, but Sylvie is stronger and smarter than she imagined, and it’s heartening to watch Kiser’s heroine discover all manner of happy, horrible, frightening, exciting, self-assuring things as the wild plot progresses.

Kiser’s expressive face and lilting voice capture the spirit of a determined 1920s leading lady, and her comic timing is on the money, especially in scenes with Jonny Kline (Beau Van Kipness). Kline’s Beau is a handsome, self-absorbed cad who often looks the fool but never recognizes it. The actor does a fine job of creating a charismatic character who is cluelessly thoughtless yet surprisingly appealing.

Mark Schuster and Jami Thomas are an engaging comedic team as Clarke and Marjorie Van Kipness, Sylvia’s brother- and sister-in-law. The timing of the banter they share and their nonchalant responses to the insane events happening around them had the audience snickering, then laughing out loud. It was a pleasure to see these two actors inspire each other so exuberantly and with such utter lack of inhibition.

As the unhinged Dierdre, Miranda Windholz discovers her inner eccentric — and embodies her to the extreme. Initially appearing to be a harmless, naive young woman, Dierdre is revealed to be much more. Windholz helps the audience fully understand that in scenes where she chugs an entire decanter of whiskey. Christopher Martin plays Richard, Dierdra’s potentially homicidal ex-husband, with a gentleness that is a warm counterpoint to this bunch of bananas.

The story takes place in a family cottage in the English countryside. A whimsically decorated set designed by Phipps-Winfrey and Lana Jeppesen is placed on the floor of the intimate Wichita Community Theatre Workshop with the audience surrounding the performance in elevated seating. This allows us to get a good look at the cast, the action, and the kooky properties by Thomas and Jeppesen, which include a lifelike fox stole on a bright blue chaise, a ceramic peacock decanter, a tabletop Venus de Milo, a 3-foot-tall telephone, and a taxidermy owl, along with many examples of antique glassware, décor, and furniture.

Lively period costumes by Mary Tush Green serve to amplify the characters’ singular personalities: Sylvia’s diaphanous, powder blue negligée; Beau’s patterned, satin dressing gown accessorized with sock garters; Dierdre’s shocking pink dress and matching hat — all are a little over-the-top, just like the personalities wearing them.

Unquestionably a comedy, “The Cottage” also examines relationships in a sincere manner, especially as concerns our leading lady. Ultimately, Sylvia does find her true love, although not in the way she, or we, expect. “The Cottage” holds not the answers to love’s questions, but the very questions themselves, and the reasons they should be asked.

The Details

Wichita Community Theatre presents “The Cottage”
September 4-14, 2025, at Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain St. in Wichita 

Tickets are $16-20.

Learn more and buy tickets.

Teri Mott is a writer and actor in Wichita, Kansas, where she covers the arts as a critic and feature writer. She is co-founder of the SHOUT.

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