Carson McCullers Talks About Love
Three days ago, if you would have asked who Suzanne Vega was, I would’ve told you that she sang that catchy “doo-doo-doo” song from the early 90s about a restaurant…”Tom’s Diner” was the name of the song. You’d know it if you heard it.
Anyway, that’s all I knew about her. But, turns out, she’s made some waves in New York last year, starring in a one act play about Carson McCullers. The play, “Carson McCullers Talks About Love,” featured Vega as McCullers as she alternates between monologues and songs.
Vega’s website explains the play this way:
In Carson McCullers Talks About Love, Suzanne Vega performs the role of the iconic author Carson McCullers, reminiscing about her life, her loves and her art. While explaining herself, McCullers wrestles with the demons that have intruded on her from the beginning of her life. Seamlessly moving between spoken word and song, Ms. Vega channels the resilient spirit and relentless humor of Ms. McCullers in a way that reveals the meeting of two souls in a single work of art. A compelling hybrid of music and theater, Carson McCullers Talks About Love is a musical portrait of one of the most important figures in American literature.
Reviews appeared to be mixed. The play ran last May at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in New York City.
I think the moral of the story here is that McCullers’ life was interesting enough to turn into a one act play. She had drinking problems, suffered from rheumatic fever when she was 15, and by the time she was 31 her entire left side was paralyzed. Plus, her husband, Reeve McCullers tried to convince her to commit suicide with him…when she declined, he went at it alone. Sad stuff.
Honestly, I think a movie about her life would be much more interesting than a small-time one act play. But what do I know?
For what it’s worth, here’s news piece that talks about the play and Vega’s inspiration behind it.
(Image: Sandra Coudert)
I am always hesitant when it comes to theater about a famous person. I always wonder if it is a true representation of the person. With mixed reviews, I guess that would indicate it was a little right and a little wrong.
Yeah. I think the mixed reviews came out of critics thinking Vega needed a little more direction with the play. Could be that too, though.
Carson McCullers is such an intriguing, conflicted person to study. I think the time during which she lived greatly impacted her, as it did many other of her writing peers. Thanks for sharing this – very interesting.
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