By Bart Greenberg***The Mint Theater Company has a long history of rediscovering forgotten plays that are deserving of a second look. They are now offering just such a look at a work from 1913, a script that was quite a cause celebre in its time. PHYL is the story of a youn
g governess who rebels again her position in society in ways thatwere considered shocking at the time. Even more fascinating than this romantic comedy is the woman who wrote it, Cicely Hamilton, an unconventional product of the late Victorian era who became an actress, playwright, novelist, journalist, suffragist-feminist and so much more.
It’s easy to understand how her works for the theater slipped away. In some ways, PHYL is a very traditional play of its time, akin to the work of George Bernard Shaw. The first act is a rather lengthy set up for the action of the second. A series of confrontations between a revolving set of two characters takes up much of the time. It is to the credit of director Britt Berke that the action moves forward at a good pace, skirting the repetitive nature of the script while drawing out fine performances from the 
cast.
Dominating the stage is Lily Ganser as Phyllis “Phyl” Chester, who energetically imbues every step of the character’s journey from frustrated servant to (spoiler alert) kept woman to… but that would we telling. She clearly had the audience on her side as she discovered her sensuality, her courage and her true desires. Anthony Michael Martinez as her romantic partner takes a light-weight character and bestows him with a backbone and a sense of humor. His Jack Folliott is handsome, rich and very independent, determined to avoid all ties despite the efforts of society matrons. He is the epi
tome of the type of character often played by Peter Lawford during his MGM days, opposite more fiery co-stars, such as Greer Garson. The studio might wwell have adapted this script to great success, even if absent the sex. And the sensuality of the play is oneof the things that sets it apart from Shaw and other playwrights of the period.
In featured roles, Jennifer Blood has a nervous energy to Phyl’s more traditional older sister, who basically raised her. Tessa Bilmes and Charlotte Van Ledtje are delightful as the governess’ two ghastly charges. And as their pompous mother, Kate Firth suggests layers of frustrations and tradition while gaining every laugh she is given an opportunity to win, especially in her big moment of total shock in the second act.
Praise also must be given to dialect coach Amy Stoller for managing to achieve believable and consistent accents from the entire ca
st, often a major failure in Americans playing English characters. Praise also to the magical work of set designer Britanny Vasta, whose two highly-contrasting worlds of the heroine are given physical reflections. Likewise, the costumes of Alicia J. Austin helped to well-define each character. Berke’s work as director was also clearly focused oncapturing the shifting (or in some cases intransient) personalities populating the story. At this, she certainly succeeded.
PHYL is not the dramatic discovery of the year, but it certainly captures the mood of the world in which it is set and delights in its Cinderella tale with some unexpected twists and turns. And the Mint deserves its continued acclaimed for discovering these gems for theatergoers in New York City.
PHYL runs through Saturday, November 7 at Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd St., NYC. Tickets are available here, or at the theater box office.
