La lunga vita di Marianna Ucrìa (The Silent Duchess) by Dacia Maraini
presented by the Italian Drama Workshop
2, 3, 4, 5 December 2003 at 8:15 pm, ART 1.102, San Jacinto & 23rd Street

SYNOPSIS

Set in 18th century Sicily, the play tells the story of the aristocratic Ucrìa family. On the stage, we will see Marianna, the silent duchess, in three different period of her life. A different Marianna will function as the narrator who reveals the thoughts and emotions of the silent Marianna.

The play opens with a child, Marianna Ucrìa, playing a game and singing a Sicilian riddle that will come to be synonymous with the tragic events in the life of Marianna. The young girl is then taken away and sexually assaulted by a man dressed in red which renders her deaf and mute. We then meet Mariana as an adult, who gives her first of several monologues in which she describes the sentiments of her mute, younger self. Also, there is Maria the mother of Marianna, Innocenza, the 'cuoca' for the family, and the Grandmother Giuseppa. During this part we see the semi-illiterate Giuseppa, who diligently tries to teach Marianna how to read and write since they are her only means of communication. It is Giuseppa, rather than her mother Maria, who spends time and cares for little Marianna.

In the next scene we meet Signoretto, the father of Mariana, who is desperate because his little girl does not speak. In hopes of frightening her into speaking, he takes her to witness a hanging. However, the attempt does not work and we instead see not only Signoretto's love and adoration for Marianna, but also his confusion and inability to emotionally connect with her.

After witnessing the hanging, Marianna faints and is taken back to the house where she is met with concern by Innocenza and apathy from Maria. In fact, Maria even describes her daughter's curiosity and confusion saying that Marianna follows and spies on her. The scene ends with Marianna's monologue in which she questions why her mother was so tormented, irritated and detached from her as a child when all she needed was her patience, affection, and love.

Next, the troubled relationship of Maria and Signoretto is revealed as we learn of his extraneous social affairs aside from Maria when he tells her of his plans to go out to play cards with friends. Maria is obviously concerned and jealous, but apathetically accepts her husbands' wishes to not await his return.

In the following scene we again see Marianna with her Grandmother Giuseppa. However, Mariana still feels isolated and troubled by her handicap which renders her unable to associate with others. She is particularly upset that she is not able to attend a dance with her sisters. We see that although Giuseppa, who is the most devoted and caring figure in Marianna's life, is also a bit mentally tormented by the noble life as she tells Marianna that she is not going to live much longer and feels she will spend her afterlife in hell.

In the next scene, Maria describes the imaginary dogs that she believes haunt her during her dreams and fears that they will come and kill her. She then orders Innocenza to send for Mariana who she believes is ready to marry in order to carry on the noble tradition of the Ucrìa family. It is at this moment that Marianna sees her Uncle Pietro and trembles with fear. At the same time, Marianna as an adult appears and expresses her fear and disdain for this man that she will be forced to marry. Her father arrives with a tablet on which he writes the plans for his daughter's marriage. Marianna reads the tablet and assertively writes that she does not accept this man as her husband. However, her mother and father who believe that she is just too young to understand and cooperate refute her wishes. They then tell Marianna that she will be sent off to the clinic of San Giovanni d'Leprosi, because of her handicap, if she does not accept this man in marriage. In the meantime, a man dressed in red appears. It is Pietro, the husband of Marianna who approaches his bride with whom he tries to dance. Unable to hear the music, Marianna fails to dance with her husband who becomes enraged and begins to dance alone. We immediately see that Pietro is a very troubled man as he dances alone and imagines to talk-both in Italian and French-to his dance instructor named Charles Martin and to his own mother. He despites his mother who first took away from him his beloved sister Maria by forcing her to marry, and then his little goat, his only friend. He continues to dance denouncing his hatred for everyone. Pietro then reflects on the birth of Marianna in which he recalls how she initially resembled her mother in appearance and scent.

The next scene opens with Signoretto and Maria who is sick and asks her husband to kiss her one last time. He responds by telling her to not be so dramatic and to get better by the time he returns. Naturally, she dies and we then hear Marianna as an adult describing her mother, her death and their troubled relationship. Signoretto arrives and we see for the first time his true, distorted feelings for his late wife and his daughter, describing the ways in which Marianna and him would play and interact when she was a child. Marianna then comments on her father, describing him as sweet, kind, distracted and quite the ladies man. From this scene we see Marianna's frustration in connected with her father.

Next, Pietro returns and violently asks Fila, another servant, when Marianna is going to make him a son. Pietro then verbally threatens Fila and attempts to approach her sexually, but she refutes him and runs away.

We then see Pietro anxiously awaiting the birth of his next child. Signoretto arrives and notifies him of his new son upon which they argue over what the child shall be named. Pietro, always obsessed with preserving decorum and nobility in the family, reminds him that their family originates from the Roman Empire and no child of his will have a name such as Signoretto ­ the name that his grandfather wants. The scene ends with Pietro describing his disdain for Marianna and the fact that she has been seen among the lowest class moving rocks and such. He says that Signoretto should be ashamed for he is the one who has raised her and caused her to act in this manner.

Next Marianna as an adult explains how she can't bear to look her husband in the eyes due to the overwhelming sense of fear she feels in his presence. However, she explains how only today was she able to open her eyes for the first time only to see his white face and eyebrows. She describes the courage she gained in refusing his advances and refers to him as 'the wolf.' We then see Pietro at the end of the stage alone and obviously upset by his wife's actions.

Alone with his grandson who is now three years old, sick and mute, Signoretto explains his frustration for his grandson who was named Signoretto. He jokes about how the child's relationship with his mother is not healthy as he clings to her, and even refuses to talk like his mother ­ in his words 'excessive.'

Signoretto notes how ironic it would be for the sick baby to die before his grandfather and tells him how since he can't imagine existing without love, the first thing he is going to do when he gets to heaven is flirt with an angel. The first act ends with Marianna who first describes a dream that she had upon her father's death about a man dressed in white who approaches her on a horse. She then comments on the death of her father and her son, the two , who left her alone. We again hear the Sicilian riddle "E pi, e pi e pi, sette fimmini p'un tari`," the words that haunt her throughout her life.

Act II begins with Marianna describing the joys she takes from literature and the world in which she is able to immerse herself. Every so often, however, immersed in the world of literature, Marianna notices something that disturbs the obscurity of the outside world. Marianna notices her housemaid, Fila, playing around with a male friend in the house, who turns out to be Fila's brother and enchants Marianna upon first sight.

Marianna then introduces her three daughters: Giuseppa - who was forced into marriage and scorns her domestic life constantly battling her husband, Felice ­ who became a nun, and Manina ­ who married at the age of twelve and has fallen into a dreary role of demanding motherhood. The family observes the "magic lantern" and the exotic images it presents as Giuseppa chides Manina for her passivity towards her husband's affairs and as Felice deals with Fila not performing her role as servant.

Carlo, Marianna's brother, enters and argues with Pietro about political consciousness and responsibility, pointing out Pietro's blind fidelity and then enters Mariano, Marianna and Pietro's son. Pietro calls everyone outside to watch the fireworks for a festival of the town and the entire family observes the celebration. As the fireworks are being set off, Mariano asks Pietro for some money for a better carriage because of a recent accident. We again see Pietro's intransigence; their quarrel is quashed by Giuseppa. Saro arrives, all too eager to provide Marianna with a blanket and is reprimanded by Innocenza and Fila for trying to attract too much attention.

Next, still watching the fireworks, Carlo points out Pietro's political hypocrisy and Manina is again criticized by Giuseppa for worrying too much for her children. Saro finally receives an opportunity to write to Marianna when Innocenza is intent on offering her an ice cream and no one else is willing to write the note asking her. However, Marianna immediately tells us that he did not offer her an ice cream in the note, but indeed professed his love for her ­ rendering her in utter distress. Mariano then pulls Pietro aside to warn him about the rising threat Saro poses to Marianna and Pietro informs him that Marianna has decided to present Saro a bride to marry. Pietro then instructs Mariano on how to be a gentleman and prophesizes how the encroaching middle-class will leave the nobility in ruins.

Carlo then brings in Peppinedda, Saro's intended bride, and Fila cringes. Carlo converses with Peppinedda as Fila brings in the reluctant Saro who states his aversion to the bride. Marianna enters and unsuccessfully attempts to unite the couple and then Peppinedda resolves conflict by overwhelmingly embracing Saro. Upon Saro's union, Pietro dies. Marianna observes Pietro's body commenting on the dreariness of her life up to that point and how she felt divided between the possible directions her life could then take. Felice and Giuseppa carry in Manina, who has just lost her child after ten months of pregnancy.

Next, in the fields of the Ucrìa family, Calò, the head hand, has a tiff with Saro and presents Marianna a debtor being held captive until his debts are settled that had asked to speak with the duchess. Marianna promptly releases the debtor from his bonds to the dismay of the vocal Calò who upsets Saro and a fight ensues. Marianna then cares for the injured Saro and almost lets herself embrace him but is frightened off at the last second.

Carlo, concerned about money, asks Marianna for a loan. As Marianna accepts, she also asks him if he remembers her ever speaking. He immediately responds no but then remembers that Marianna did indeed speak when she was a child. Upon remembering the horrible assault that shook up the whole family, he firsts decides to not tell her. However, he ends up telling her and as she runs off emotionally distraught he feels as if he should follow her but cannot. Marianna then comments on the realization taking place and the distress it caused.

Innocenza then informs Fila that her brother's new wife has been stealing and Fila brings in crying Marianna. The two get Saro to communicate to Marianna what has happened on the condition that Innocenza and Fila leave. After telling Marianna about the theft, Saro again professes his love to Marianna and implores her for a response. The two almost embrace, but Marianna is once again frightened off at the last second. Marianna then recites from Cantici dei Cantici

Marianna's children enter with Felice holding Fila by the arm, Innocenza with blood-stained clothes and everyone rendered speechless. Manina writes a note to Marianna explaining what happened. We witness the mixed reactions of Marianna's children to Fila's attempted murder of Peppinedda, in which she killed Saro's child and injured Saro. Marianna cares for Saro's wounds.

Marianna then convinces the local judge, Giacomo Camaleo, to commit Fila to an insane asylum instead of executing her because he sees Marianna as the most sensible and refined woman of Palermo. Upon seeing the frightened Fila in the insane asylum, however, Marianna pays the guard to carry Fila away. Back at the villa, as Saro plans his next proposition to Marianna, she walks in and begins to embrace him.

Innocenza brings Marianna flowers from Camaleo which contain a note from Camaleo in which he proposes to her. Mariano enters resolute to not allow Marianna to marry at such a late age but cannot write this down. He finds Giuseppa but she refuses to accept Mariano's unfounded authority. Marianna is upsetted by their arguing and Giuseppa leaves.

Saro then shows off to Marianna his new clothes left to him by Pietro and the two embrace and Marianna comments on the futility of her relationship with Saro. Marianna decides to leave behind both Camaleo and Saro. Marianna and Fila prepare to leave for a journey to Rome as the family sees the two off.

In their room in Rome, Fila recounts some adventures of their journey while Marianna reads a letter from Camaleo imploring her to reconsider marrying him, among other things. Marianna rethinks her choices and chooses a life of travel, obliging neither Saro nor Camaleo, but always ready for new adventures on her own.

| RIASSUNTO in ITALIANO |