To say that Edwardian-era playwright Hubert Henry Davies is not terribly well-remembered nowadays would be a major understatement, but Quotidian Theatre Company’s current revival of his 1907 comedy “The Mollusc” proves that he is a writer worthy of rediscovery.
Set in a suburban home on the outskirts of London, “The Mollusc” begins with long-married couple Richard (John Decker) and Dulcie Baxter (Melinda Smith) awaiting the return of Dulcie’s brother Tom Kemp (Steve Beall) from America, where he has lived for several years. As soon as he arrives, Tom recognizes that the Baxters’ marriage has stagnated to the point of inertia.
According to Tom, Dulcie, like their parents, is turning into a “mollusk,” an immobile sea creature that hides in a shell, meaning that her laziness and self-indulgence are pushing Richard into the arms of their loyal, painfully shy governess Miss Roberts (Laura Russell), whom Tom has also taken a liking to.
In order to remedy the situation, Tom sets out to save his sister’s marriage while trying to persuade Miss Roberts to return to the wilds of Colorado with him.
Typical of the drawing room comedy genre and the time it was written, the humor found in the script of “The Mollusc” is very gentle and understated. “Shall we poke fun at her?” may not sound like a particularly funny line, but in the context of the scene where it is uttered, it brings down the house.
Director Jack Sbarbori gets highly amusing performances from his quartet of actors. Beall, Decker and Russell all give subtle, top-drawer comic turns that perfectly reflect the period. Smith does equally well in the title role considering that she has the more difficult acting challenge; she manages to make her character’s selfish manipulation of the others both droll and believable without descending into caricature.
Quotidian has again succeeded in unearthing a rarely produced little gem. Their production of “The Mollusc” is the most charming theatrical surprise of the spring.
‘The Mollusc’
Quotidian Theatre Company’s production runs though May 4
» Venue: The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda
» Performances: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
» Tickets: $15 to $20
» More info: 301-816-1023, www.quotidiantheatre.org
