The Rose Tattoo--This Much Comedy?

        By Joseph Cervelli

I have never seen a stage production of Tennessee Williams' "The Rose Tattoo" although it is hard to imagine he intended it to be presented so over the top as it is by director Trip Cullman at the American Airlines Theater.  The excellent film version starring Anna Magnani who deservedly won an Oscar was serious yet had some comedic moments thanks to the antics of Burt Lancaster who played her love interest.  The play is more lighthearted than any of Williams' other works that I can recall, yet Pullman has turned it into a laugh fest with the audience laughing heartily. There are even some slapstick moments which make no sense. The theme of the play becomes so lopsided with performances all over the place that it is very disconcerting.

Marisa Tomei gives  a strong and earthy performance as Serafina Delle Rose until the comic touches become so heavy handed that she becomes awash in such silliness that all sensitivity in her character becomes lost. Serafina is madly in love with her sight unseen truck driver husband who as the play opens is killed  as he was hauling bananas and drugs. She is unaware of his corrupt behavior and falls into a state of depression never leaving her house. The neighborhood women act as a Greek chorus and frequently break into song which never coalesces with the seriousness of the play because of presenting it almost strictly as a comedy. They also become tiresome as the play continues.

Serafina's lovely teenaged daughter Rosa (a good Ella Rubin) falls in love with Jack (Burke Swanson)  who is a sailor. Serafina spends more time praying to the cremated ashes of her husband as a kind of shrine rather than show any connection with her daughter. Here again Pullman slips up badly. There is no emphasizing the love that she really has for her daughter. They may fight and scream but her adoration of her daughter which is presented in spurts never radiates. Rosa and Jack are no more than stick figures when instead the play needs to show how much they care for each other. Actually, Swanson is made to look rather doltish which provokes laughter.

Things turn around and become even more ridiculous when the truck driver Alvaro Mangiacavallo Emun Elliott) comes to her house. They joke around to the point where the aforementioned slapstick takes over. So, when they start to have strong sexual feelings it feels forced and not believable.  Alvaro is a bit of a clown as he was represented in the film but then needs to become more sympathetic towards Serafina. Not the fault of Elliott who is a fine actor. He is just lost in this misguided production. And if you have little chemistry between both leads despite the fact both work very hard the play sinks. Even the tense scene where Alvaro unsuspecting approaches the sleeping Rosa which throws Serafina into a frenzy becomes absurdly humorous.

Tina Benko plays the casino blackjack dealer who also was Serafina's husband's lover in a white jumpsuit walking and acting like the faded movie star Alexandra Del Largo from "Sweet Bird of Youth."Constance Pullman struts around as the witch with a patch over her eye chasing the screeching neighborhood kids looking like she belongs in a "Pirates of the Carribbean" film.

Even before the play starts you are find something rather strange about Mark Wendland's set design featuring  rows of pink flamingos near the back of the stage and the never-ending rolling of waves along the back wall which you find yourself starting at during a lot of the play.

I am not sure if Cullman has ever directed a Williams' play before but after this one I shudder to think what he would do with the more popular ones. Who knows how he would interpret
"The Glass Menagerie?" I can't even begin to imagine.

Tickets are available at the American Airlines Theatre 227 West 42nd Street.

PHOTOS: JOAN MARCUS