About a month ago, a full-page story appeared in the Sunday travel section of the New York Times. Entitled The Roman Seasons of Tennessee Williams…the story recounted the first time Williams visited the Eternal City in 1948….that he later called “The capitol of my heart.” The author of the article writes about the places Williams stayed…the restaurants he frequented…and the Italian personalities with whom he bonded… Roberto Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman after they had begun their highly publicized affair….and other gay American writers such as Truman Capote and Gore Vidal…who enjoyed personal freedom unheard of back home.
What I found surprising was that Tennessee Williams spent a decade in Rome, where he wrote all or the beginnings of some of his finest plays including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof….Baby Doll…and The Rose Tattoo…all of which are set in the United States with American family themes.
It is The Rose Tattoo that is the subject of this review…now on stage with an outstanding production and cast at Williamstown Theater Festival. The New York Times article …to which I’m referring… says that Tennessee Williams upon meeting the legendary Anna Magnaini in Rome…wanted her to play the main character …the widow Sarafina. In the the initial Broadway production, but Magnani had other commitments and thus it was that role was filled by the marvelous Maureen Stapleton. Later of course, Magnani starred in the highly regarded motion picture.
Having seen both Maureen Stapleton in the stage production and Anna Magnani in the motion picture…I was hopeful about Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei portraying the lead role of Sarafina… at Williamstown Theatre Festival this summer. My Optimism was not misplaced: she is perfection. She has the beauty and the fire to portray a lonely widow in America’s Gulf Coast…while supporting herself and her 15-year-ol daughter by sewing dresses on a pedal sewing machine in her home..
Serafina prays before a statuette of Mother Mary for a “sign” that will once again bring her happiness. Indeed, a swarthy, manly Sicilian truck driver comes to her home in need of making a telephone call to his employer. On his chest, as on her late husband’s is a rose tattoo. Is this the “sign” Sarafina has longed for?
Under the direction of Trip Cullman, the play – both humorous and tender—moves smoothly with fine actors in supporting roles, and, melodic music – both vocal and instrumental-- enhancing each scene.This production of a Tennessee Williams classic, a Tony Award-winning play, is a must-see theater triumph.
Herbert Wolff studied under the guidance of Lee Strasberg and subsequently had roles with summer theater companies in upstate New York and on live television. He is former vice president of International Television Association and former Chairman of Massachusetts Advisory Council on Scientific and Technical Education. Herb continues to write, direct and appear in stage plays. For over 25 years he has been an on-air reviewer of theater and opera productions for WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
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