BWW Reviews: Molnar's FASHIONS FOR MEN Sparklingly Revived by The Mint

Though Ferenc Molnar's 1917 Fashions For Men takes place in a fine Hungarian clothing shop, the title might be better applied to the way gentlemen conduct themselves and the consequences they present.

In this light romance and gentle satire, presented in a sparkling revival by The Mint, the shop's owner, Peter (a pleasant and gracious Joe Delafield) is such a kind and trusting fellow - extending credit to rich people who never pay, offering rapt attention to customers who do little for his profits - that when the play begins he has lost his ownership due to debt. On top of that, his wife has decided to run off with his best salesman, a blow to his heart he accepts without making a scene.

Admiring his decency, but recognizing his shortcomings, is his cashier Paula (Rachel Napoleon), who uses her youth and attractiveness to disguise a savvy business sense. When the hearty and lecherous Count (a funny and gregarious Kurt Rhoads) hires Peter to be a manager (and Paula to be his "secretary"), the nice guy muffs up the works again with his goodness, but by the third act he's back in the shop, and if he hasn't exactly discarded his trust in fellow humans, he now has Paula at his side to keep things in check.

Director Davis McCallum's blissfully charming production boasts a fine ensemble (including John Tufts as a slick salesman and Jeremy Lawrence as the older clerk with the patience to deal with everyday nonsense) and is played in designer Daniel Zimmerman's jewel box setting, enhanced by Martha Hally's smart costumes.

The Mint Theater Company has built a well-deserved reputation for finding interesting, but forgotten plays by beloved masters and giving them impressive productions in a surprisingly small Off-Broadway space. Fashions For Men is another example of why they are one of New York's most valuable theatre companies.

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