There are certain things required in order to be a critic, and the avoidance of gushing is one of the most important, since gushing makes it seem as if you like something, and everyone knows a critic isn’t supposed to like stuff he criticizes.

Well, throw that bunch of bull out the window. Here comes a gush. A big gush.

The production of "The Fantasticks" that opened Thursday night at Theatre Unchained may well be the nicest, funniest, warmest, most romantic, most musical, most ... everything that you may see in this city all year. And it’s only January.

This little play holds the title of the world’s longest running musical. It opened on May 3, 1960 and closed on Jan. 13, 2002. That’s 17,162 performances. Nothing else is even close. It took four years off and came back in 2006, and it’s still running off-Broadway.

There have been over 12,000 productions of this play in all 50 states and over 3,000 cities and towns. Throw in 67 different countries, and you can finally take a breath.

It seems fairly obvious that here must be something in this tiny thing that captures the imagination of the millions who have seen it.

Whatever that thing is, this cast – under the direction of James Padovano, musical direction of Patrick Thompson and choreographer Parker Christian – captures it, and our hearts, perfectly.

More than anything, "The Fantasticks" is a love story. There’s a boy and a girl, two fathers, a menacing narrator, two has-been actors and a mute. That’s it.

Boy and girl fall in love. Fathers conduct a Machiavellian scheme to get the two to marry. The kids find out about the scheme and rebel. They break up and go their separate ways, only to survive the trials of being alone to finally end up back in each other’s arms as we all go home happy.

And happy doesn’t begin to capture the wondrous music written by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt.

You’ve got the classic and foretelling "Try To Remember." You have the riotous "Never Say No," the essence of being a parent of a strong-willed child. You have the most tender of duets, "Soon It’s Gonna Rain," and what, for my money, is the single most romantic duet ever, "They Were You."

Throw in one of the funniest renditions of the Abduction Ballet, choreographed with great simplicity and humor by Christian, and you have music, music, music.

None of this would be worth a hoot unless you can find actors and singers who can carry this off, and Padovano gave Thompson a lot of stuff to work with.

Each of the cast members has moments in the sun, but the magic of this play revolves around three characters: El Gallo the narrator, played by Timothy J. Barnes; Luisa the girl, played by Katy Johnson; and Matt the boy, played by Jacob Sudbrink.

Let’s start with Barnes. He's not the world’s greatest singer, but he clearly knows what the words mean, and he has the kind of slick seductive menace that makes him a perfect El Gallo. He has the kind of aquiline face that makes you think of all the villains from your past.

Then there is Sudbrink, who looks like a boy playing a boy. He’s a grown man, but he is the kind of tender and callow fellow (a phrase from "Try to Remember") who makes you want to reach out and pinch his cheeks. He’s a gentle and expressive singer who really tugs at your heartstrings. This kid needs a hug.

Then there is Katy Johnson, Luisa, the 16-year-old girl. It’s hard to find enough words, or accurate enough words to describe this young woman.

She sings like an absolute angel with a soaring soprano that touches with a feather every word of every lyric to make it come fully alive. She can act. She is funny. She is heartfelt. When she opens herself to the audience, you will find yourself leaning forward to capture every jewel she is about to give you.

There is a restrained yet mercurial thread in her performance, and I found myself marveling at her devilish side at full war with the chaste maiden in love with a boy

Thompson, whose piano was the only instrumental music of the night, knew he had two aces in Johnson and Sudbrink. It’s the mark of a really good musical director when he knows that he can trust his singers and that they can trust him. It was a wonderful combination.

Like I said, I rarely gush and rarely make recommendations.

But on this one, I’m making an exception. Get somebody you love. Go and get tickets. Watch this little play.

And then when you walk out of the theater with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart, send me a thank you note.