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Starring Bill McNulty. Directed by Wendy McClellan. Written by Glen Berger. At Actors Theater through Jan. 30. Call 584-1205 for tickets or more info.

Looks are deceiving in this play about an old librarian on the trail of a late book returner — 113 years later. The set is ridiculously junky, and I’m still not quite sure where it was supposed to be taking place, but those are secondary concerns. As soon as the funny little man in wrinkled khakis and a tweed blazer with shaggy hair steps onto the stage all bothered about something, the viewer becomes completely enthralled. His affected movements and comical facial expressions and his quaint Dutch accent may peg this as a comedy. But it’s is no ordinary comedy; that becomes clear at the beginning.

Bill McNulty plays the librarian in Actors’ “Underneath the Lintel.” (photo by Harlan Taylor)

What prompts chuckles in the beginning suddenly brings frowns or even misty eyes. A strange but seemingly routine overdue book turns into a pivotal moment for one man as he begins the journey of his life. And he takes the viewer along on a spellbinding journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat for nearly two hours. His search to find the delinquent borrower turns into an adventure that questions the existence of God, love and the true meaning of death.

Bill McNulty’s portrayal of the librarian is fantastic. That he can retain his affected Dutch accent throughout the play is a testament to his tireless efforts to help the audience believe. He provides a small window into his life, which keeps getting larger as the story progresses. We find that this little man has mainly lived life through books and his co-workers at the library. The one time he fell in love, he let her go. It isn’t until the librarian is in the middle of his journey that he realizes how sad his life’s been. Then he makes you root for him. He chooses to throw himself into this trip headlong, and you are with him step by step, hoping he finds what he’s looking for.

Does he find the person who turned in a book 113 years late? Does it even matter by the /files/storyimages/of the play? You’ll get the answers to those questions by experiencing the production yourself. And why the title, “Underneath the Lintel”? I won’t give away too much, but just know it’s very important to the librarian’s journey. I won’t tell you what happened underneath the lintel, but I will tell you that “lintel” is a Hebrew word for doorway. Go see the Actors Theatre play. It will blow you away, and you might even find what you’re looking for.