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Merchant Of Florence

A female innkeeper wages a battle of the sexes in San Jose Repertory's 'Mirandolina'

Anne Gelhaus


The Sneakier Sex: As Mirandolina, Melissa King, toys with the affections of her costars (Dan Hiatt and Ken Granthaw).

IF POST-SHOW conversation among audience members is any indication, the battle of the sexes waged in the San Jose Repertory Theatre's production of Mirandolina is as timely now as it was in 1753, when Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni penned the comedy.

Goldoni wrote the play to reflect the great changes that were taking place in his society at the time: Florence, where Mirandolina is set, was a cultural mecca and a city where the emerging middle class could get a foothold. This middle class included women, who had previously been viewed as commodities but were slowly being allowed "privileges" like an education or a role in the businesses of their husbands and fathers.

Mirandolina is one such woman, although Goldoni took the character one step further and made her a single woman in charge of an inn. Since every man who lodges there is instantly smitten with her, Mirandolina has learned how to deflect their advances without insulting them so that they don't take their business elsewhere. Basically, she's become an expert flirt.

The role is a complex one, and Melissa King handles all aspects of her character well. Her Mirandolina is intelligent, although she ultimately becomes too confident in her ability to outsmart the men around her. And she is manipulative, but her motives are pure: to earn the respect of men, whether they love her or not.

Interestingly, several men who saw the opening-night performance last week said they thought Mirandolina a conniving user, while the women felt she was doing what she had to do to make her way in the world. It's rare that a comedy that evokes as much laughter as this play does can also be the subject of so much debate.

And Mirandolina is funny, particularly in scenes in which the title character sets out to seduce the Cavaliere of Ripafratta (Kurt Rhoads), who shows a clear disdain for all women. In their exchanges, innocuous words like "rabbit" are loaded with innuendo.

As the Cavaliere's servant, Luis Oropeza makes the most of a smaller role that shows the actor's mastery of physical comedy. His every glance and gesture turn what could be throwaway lines into punch lines.

Michelle Riel's rotating set makes for some innovative blocking, since rooms often move along with the characters in them. B. Modern's costumes accurately reflect not only the time period but each character, allowing for some good sight gags: The down-and-out Marchese of Forlipopoli (Ken Grantham), for example, sports dirty lace and grimy hose.

The production does fall apart somewhat toward the end, when the Cavaliere's temper grows too fierce to be funny any more and the play's action takes a turn for the serious. On opening night the cast had yet to figure out the transition, but given how well they've done otherwise with this multilayered script, it should come to them.

Mirandolina plays Tue.-Fri. at 8pm; Sat. at 5pm and 9pm; Sun. at 2pm and 7pm; and Wed., Jan. 31, at noon through Feb. 4 at the Montgomery Theater, San Carlos and Market streets, San Jose. Tickets are $16.50-$28.50. (408/291-2255)

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