The Rose Tattoo
by Tennessee Williams
Directed by David Kaplan
Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
August 18, 2022
Rayme Cornell, Valentina Silva and Cast of The Rose Tattoo
Photo by Suzy Gorman
Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
The Rose Tattoo is a Tennessee Williams play I had heard of, but hadn’t seen before. Now that I have seen it, in a lively production currently being staged by Tennessee Williams Festival, I now think I’ve seen it in a way few have experienced. That’s because of the unique approach director David Kaplan and the company have taken here–staging the production in a circus tent, with many circus elements incorporated into the play. It’s a unique staging, but it works especially well in emphasizing the emotion of the piece, as well as the truly hilarious comic elements of the story.
This is something of an unusual play, or at least in this production, since the first act plays more as a mysterious drama, but the second act is much more broadly comic, but also full of deeply expressed emotion and longing. The circus elements, including clowns, aerialists, and animal acts work to heighten the mood and sense of dreamlike fantasy as the story focuses on Sicilian immigrant Serafina Delle Rose (Rayme Cornell), who is passionately attached to her husband, and is devastated when he is killed early in the play. She retreats into her house, becoming focused on her memories and overprotective of her teenage daughter, Rosa (Valentina Silva), who is about to graduate high school and is excited about a new boyfriend, a sailor named Jack (Oliver Bacus), who Serafina doesn’t want her to see. Serafina is also suspicious of her neighbors, who always seem to be watching her, and spreading rumors about her husband that Serafina doesn’t want to believe. Eventually, she has a chance meeting with a young truck driver, Alvaro Mangiacavallo (Bradley Tejeda), who reminds her of her husband, and a comic “courtship” of sorts ensues. It’s an exploration of grief, dreams, parent-child relationships, romantic ideals, and the role of religious devotion in a person’s life, as Serafina is devoutly Catholic. It’s a highly emotional, somewhat lyrical story that uses music to set its mood at times, as well as, in this production, the balletic work of the aerialists in some key moments.
The staging here is inventive and clever, with the circus elements working very well to help set the mood and further the emotion of the story. The first appearance of Alvaro as a clown also works because Serafina sometimes compares him to one. And the direction is sharp and well-paced, with some slapstick elements in the second act as well as the more melancholy moments played expertly by the excellent cast. The biggest star here is Cornell, who owns every moment she’s in as the highly emotional, grief-stricken Serafina. It’s a virtuoso performance that drives the momentum of the show. Tejada is also fantastic as Alvaro, with a strong physical performance as well as excellent stage presence and chemistry with Cornell. There are also strong performances from Silva as the lovestruck and often frustrated (with her mother) Rosa; and Bacus who is well-matched with Silva as the young sailor who loves Rosa. Harry Weber has a nice dual turn as the local priest Father De Leo and as Miss Yorke, a teacher at Rosa’s high school, and there’s excellent work from a fine ensemble playing various supporting roles, bringing atmosphere and energy to the show. Also notable is the work of aerialists Annika Capellupo, Natalie Bednarski, Sage McGhee, and Maggie McGinness, whose beautiful performances add much to the overall tone of the story.
Technically, this show has a look that’s fitting for a play that’s staged in a circus tent. The set by James Wolk makes use of movable pieces that suggest the various locations as needed, with the panels that serve as the walls of Serafina’s house being able to be arranged to suggest a closed-in feeling as she retreats further from the world in her grief, and can also be opened up as needed. Michele Friedman Siler’s costumes suit the characters well and also work appropriately with the circus theme. Jesse Alford’s lighting works especially well in the space to set the mood and atmosphere, as well. There were a few sound issues with microphone feedback and odd acoustics that made the dialogue difficult to hear at times, but this improved as the show went on.
If you’ve seen The Rose Tattoo before, seeing this production might be like seeing it for the first time all over again, since the theme and conceit are unique. This production’s fantastical circus format is well-suited to the story, with excellent dialogue and symbolism by Williams. It’s a showcase for a stellar leading performance and equally strong cast, with dynamic circus performances and a memorable, ultimately hopeful comic tone. It’s a one-of-a-kind production, well worth a visit to the Big Top.
Cast of The Rose Tattoo
Photo by Suzy Gorman
Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis is presenting The Rose Tattoo at The Big Top in Grand Center until August 28, 2022
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