Side Trip To Sicily
After my week with the teachers in Athens, which I described in my previous post, I flew to Sicily to meet my family for a quick vacation.
A meal, strangely enough, gave me a new insight into one of the two main characters in Tennessee Williams' "The Rose Tattoo."
It turns out that the big Sicilian delicacy (at least on the East Coast, I can’t speak for the whole island!) is carne cavallo, or carne equine, or in English, yes, you got it — horse meat.
Suddenly, the name Alvaro Mangiacavallo, the protagonist of Tennessee Williams’ 1951 play "The Rose Tattoo," took on a whole new meaning. (Beautifully played, by the way, by Burt Lancaster in the 1955 film version. Lancaster's wooing revives the smoldering passions of Serafina--played by the great Italian actress Anna Magnani--after the death of her husband.)
On a side note, I saw the film “The Savages” on the plane coming home from Europe. It’s a terrific, intimate film. If you’re a fan of Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman and/or New Jersey resident and eminent actor, Philip Bosco, it’s a must see.
Last but not least, if you haven’t had a chance to see "August, Osage County" on Broadway, get your tics now. It recently won the Pulitzer Prize, and while I don’t think it’s as much a masterpiece as those dedicated to theatrical hyberbole like to claim, I do think it’s a very, very good play.
BUT, the performance by the leading actress is, in my opinion, indeed a masterpiece. It is one of the most brutally brilliant performances I have ever seen on stage. Her name is Deanna Dunagan.
EDITOR'S NOTE: "Little Horse" was the nickname Williams gave his longtime lover, Frank Merlo. Here's more info on Merlo and Rose Tattoo from lambda.net:
Tennessee Williams met and fell in love with Frank Merlo in 1947 while living in New Orleans. Merlo was a second generation Sicilian American who had served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. Together they vacationed in Italy where the writer drew inspiration from the passion for life he felt there.
In 1948, Williams wrote "The Rose Tattoo" -- a passionate comedy about old love lost, and new love found in the life of a family of Sicilian immigrants. The story line follows Williams' own life experiences in meeting Merlo. It stands out as the only major play by Williams that has a happy ending.
Merlo was a steadying influence in the chaotic life of the living-legend of theater. He was a confidant and artistic adviser, as well as a devoted partner. It has been said that people were drawn to Tennessee Williams as a celebrity, but those who maintained lasting friendships with him were drawn by Merlo's charm. After 14 years as a couple, tragedy struck.
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