Got the winter blues? Tired of dealing with economic doldrums? Then put on your boots and long underwear and hike over to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater's box office for tickets to Mirandolina. You're guaranteed to laugh the night away.
Set on the outskirts of Florence, Italy, this 18th-century comedy by Carlo Goldoni has the appeal of an Italian pastry. It is concocted with perfection a perfect blend of airy layers, rich yet full of flakiness. Not that the word "flakiness" applies to the main character. Mirandolina is a no-nonsense woman who is coping with the recent death of her father. He has left her little but the inn. Single and pretty, she is a natural male target. Still, she must focus on the myriad details of running her inn. However, she also knows how womanly wiles can attract a man. She proves it by casting her spell over all the men who lodge at her inn, as well as the male servants. She uses this to her advantage in a number of hilarious situations.
There's the overfed, well-dressed lodger who thinks money can buy anything (Steve Pickering, in an outstanding performance), and the older, penniless lodger whose title won't gain him the respect he thinks he deserves (Torrey Hanson). They are admittedly in love with Mirandolina, and they praise her charms to a new boarder, a dashing, handsome knight (Brian Vaughn). An avowed "woman-hater," the knight vows that he won't fall prey to Mirandolina's charms. Overhearing this boast, Mirandolina addresses the audience directly as she declares to make him one of her prizes. Vaughn is a fine comedian, and we delight in seeing him squirm when Mirandolina gets her grip on him. He knows he is falling for her, against everything his intellect tells him. He resists as long as he possibly can. She responds by making special meals for him, bringing him the finest linen, complimenting his taste in wine, and so forth. All of this follows a predictable path, up until the surprise ending (no hints here).
There are two other women in the cast. Both are lowbrow actors posing as "ladies." They add comic relief and a minor subplot to the show.
The only problem in this production is Mirandolina herself. For some reason, director Laszlo Marton sees her as modest, humble and down-to-earth. This is not so bad, except he reinforces this impression in her plain clothing and close-cropped blonde hairdo. She is no vamp, that's for sure. It's a stretch for us to believe that this soft-spoken woman is a player in the so-called "sizzling battle of the sexes" advertised in the company's promotional material. As Mirandolina, actor Deborah Staples is spirited but not saucy, good-tempered but not a raucous flirt, clever but not conniving. She could make far more of an impression than she does.
Visually, the set is decorated in various-sized white and cream-colored linens hanging on clotheslines. This white-toned background serves to make the characters appear all the more colorful.
In Act II, fight choreographer Lee Ernst contributes swordplay that is the 18th-century version of all-star wrestling. It's a lot of fun to watch. The entire play is fun and funny, too, as we watch the men fall one by one at Mirandolina's feet.
