Cicely Hamilton's Phyl was set to premiere at Oxford in 1913 until the university's Vice Chancellor stopped it, and Mint Theater — which specializes in lost plays — is giving it a rare New York staging starting this weekend. It follows a fiery governess who gets sacked for speaking her mind and decides she would rather be thought wicked than poor. If you like discovering forgotten plays that feel startlingly modern, get in early.
What to expect
A period drama with wit and frank talk about sex, class and independence, staged with Mint's attention to detail. The first performances are previews, so the production is still settling in. Theatre Row's small houses keep the audience close to the actors.
Good to know
- Theatre Row is at 410 West 42nd Street; 42 St–Port Authority (A/C/E) is the nearest stop.
- Mint's CheapTix are among the lowest-priced Off-Broadway seats; they go quickly.
- The play deals openly with sex and relationships, per Mint's artistic director.
- Mint's season continues with another rediscovered play, The Fanatics.
Going? Keep it.
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Common questions
Why was Phyl banned?
Its planned 1913 Oxford premiere was forbidden after an attack by the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University, even though it had passed the Lord Chamberlain's censor.
Who plays Phyl?
Lily Ganser, known from Stereophonic, plays Phyllis Chester.
