The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams
Directed by Jim Searle
From the author of A Streetcar Named Desire, twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize and three times winner of the New York Critics’ Circle Award, this dramatic comedy tells of a young widow, Serafina. Defiant and proud, she maintains the illusion of her dead husband’s faithfulness, isolating herself from the society around her.
However, when she meets Alvaro, and sees in him “the body of her husband with the face of a clown,” comedy, drama and romance fuse.
Review from Stage Whispers by Neil Litchfield
The Rose Tattoo tells the story of Italian-American widow Serafina Delle Rose who lives in Mississippi in America’s deep south during the 1950’s. Like most Tennessee Williams plays such as A Street Car Names Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Sweet Bird of Youth – his characters, particularly female ones, are deeply felt and fascinating.
Serafina has withdrawn from the world after her husband’s death and expects her daughter, Rosa, to do the same. So strong is her devotion and passion to her late husband, Rosario, “a rose of a man”, she cannot reconcile rumour with her own beliefs when she learns the “awful truth” about him. Turning to her own sense of faith and beliefs the stage is set for an engaging tale of malicious gossip, despair and new love.
Maria Micallef, playing Serafina, is celebrating 20 years onstage with this exciting role plus 40 years since emigrating from England. Her Cypriot background and Italian speaking in-laws give her an insight into the cultural worlds of the play. Maria has also played Mae in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at The Woodstock Theatre and so is very familiar with Williams’ characters and inspiring storytelling.
Maxine Solari making her debut at The Guild Theatre plays Rosa, Serafina’s defiant daughter, trapped between the classic world of superstition and her teenage infatuation with Jack, a timid sailor.
Yolanda Regueira plays Assunta, Serafina’s loyal friend and voice of reason amidst the fanciful and often delusional world that Serafina has created for herself. Yolanda is a real fan of Tennessee Williams’ characters and enjoys Assunta’s sense of humour tinged with sarcasm. Alvaro, Serafina’s unexpected love interest is played by Philip Chaffey. The characters’s raw emotion, playful and honest individuality is in stark contrast to Serafina’s dramatic outlook and sets up a dynamic relationship that Philip is looking forward to presenting onstage.
Di Mifsud as Estelle, Brendan Dallow playing the salesman and a doctor and Andrew Nicholls as Jack are also making their debuts on stage at the Guild.
What: The Rose Tattoo
Where: The Guild Theatre Rockdale
When: Now On Until the 2nd of September
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