Filumena Marturano
Encyclopedia
Filumena Marturano is a play written in 1946 by Italian playwright and philosopher Eduardo De Filippo
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Domenico is not going to allow this and asks his lawyer, Nocella, to annul the marriage. Filumena speaks to the young men telling them that she is their mother.
Filumena accepts the defeat of the annulment, but tells Domenico that one of the three children is actually his. All attempts to find out who his son is fails, and Domenico, after 10 months remarries Filumena accepting to be the father of all three.
In the play Filumena memorably tells Domenico that "Children are children, and they're all equal" (I figli sono figli e sono tutti uguali).
, a famous Neapolitan theatrical actress, who took the title role in the first production in Naples in 1946. The play followed on from the success of Napoli milionaria, which Eduardo had written and which had premiered the year before to general acclaim. The first night of the new play, proved a disappointment however, and received lukewarm notices from the Neapolitan theatre-going public. Titina decided to address this by following her own instincts and performing as she felt the role required. She was proved right. The play achieved great success, so great in fact that for many years afterwards Titina was called in public in Italy by her character's name, Filumena, rather than her own.
Thanks to an arrangement made by Carlo Trabucco, the editor of the daily Italian Christian Democrat newspaper Il Popolo, an audience was arranged for the cast to meet Pope Pius XII
in a private audience in the Vatican. At the audience, the Pope unexpectedly asked to hear one of the monologues, and Titina recited for him the prayer of Filumena to the Madonna of the Roses.
Despite the strong connection between Titina De Filippo
and the role in the mind of the Italian public, another actress, Regina Bianchi, was also able to achieve cult status as Filumena in subsequent years.
In 1977 an English language translation by Keith Waterhouse
and Willis Hall
undertook a production at the Lyric Theatre in London directed by Franco Zeffirelli
starring Colin Blakely
and Joan Plowright
. This won The London Theatres Comedy of the year award in 1978. The production was then taken to New York City where it opened on 10 February 1980 at the St. James Theatre
on Broadway where it ran for 32 performances. Prior to the New York transfer it had a run in Baltimore where it was directed by Laurence Olivier
(Husband of Joan Plowright)
The play was performed at the Piccadilly Theatre
, London, opening on 30 September 1998 and running until February 27 1999. It was directed by Peter Hall with Dame Judi Dench
in the title role. Michael Pennington
played Domenico.
directed the film of the play in which he starred as Domenico alongside his sister Titina
. He also made a tv version in 1962, in which Regina Bianchi played the title role. Another screen version was directed by Vittorio De Sica
and it was re-named Matrimonio all'italiana (Marriage Italian-Style
), and starred Sophia Loren
and Marcello Mastroianni
. In 2010 Italian tv, RAI
Uno made a miniseries starring Massimo Ranieri
.
Eduardo De Filippo
Eduardo De Filippo was an Italian actor, playwright, screenwriter, author and poet, best known for his Neapolitan works Filumena Marturano and Napoli Milionaria.-Biography:...
.
Plot
The curtain opens on Domenico Soriano, 50, a wealthy Neapolitan shop-keeper who is raging against Filumena, 48, a former prostitute. They lived together for 26 years as husband and wife and she has cheated him, pretending to be near to death, and convincing him to marry her in extremis. Domenico, however, would rather marry Diana, a young girl, who is already in the house pretending to be a nurse. Filumena reveals the real reason for the marriage to Domenico: she wants to create a family for her three children (Umberto, Michele and Riccardo) who have no idea of who their mother really is.Domenico is not going to allow this and asks his lawyer, Nocella, to annul the marriage. Filumena speaks to the young men telling them that she is their mother.
Filumena accepts the defeat of the annulment, but tells Domenico that one of the three children is actually his. All attempts to find out who his son is fails, and Domenico, after 10 months remarries Filumena accepting to be the father of all three.
In the play Filumena memorably tells Domenico that "Children are children, and they're all equal" (I figli sono figli e sono tutti uguali).
Productions
Filumena Marturano was initially written as a tribute to Eduardo's sister, Titina De FilippoTitina De Filippo
Titina De Filippo, born Annunziata De Filippo was an Italian actress and playwrightShe was born in via Dell'Ascensione a Chiaia, Naples, the oldest of three children born from the extramarital relationship between Luisa De Filippo and Eduardo Scarpetta, a well-respected playwright in Naples...
, a famous Neapolitan theatrical actress, who took the title role in the first production in Naples in 1946. The play followed on from the success of Napoli milionaria, which Eduardo had written and which had premiered the year before to general acclaim. The first night of the new play, proved a disappointment however, and received lukewarm notices from the Neapolitan theatre-going public. Titina decided to address this by following her own instincts and performing as she felt the role required. She was proved right. The play achieved great success, so great in fact that for many years afterwards Titina was called in public in Italy by her character's name, Filumena, rather than her own.
Thanks to an arrangement made by Carlo Trabucco, the editor of the daily Italian Christian Democrat newspaper Il Popolo, an audience was arranged for the cast to meet Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
in a private audience in the Vatican. At the audience, the Pope unexpectedly asked to hear one of the monologues, and Titina recited for him the prayer of Filumena to the Madonna of the Roses.
Despite the strong connection between Titina De Filippo
Titina De Filippo
Titina De Filippo, born Annunziata De Filippo was an Italian actress and playwrightShe was born in via Dell'Ascensione a Chiaia, Naples, the oldest of three children born from the extramarital relationship between Luisa De Filippo and Eduardo Scarpetta, a well-respected playwright in Naples...
and the role in the mind of the Italian public, another actress, Regina Bianchi, was also able to achieve cult status as Filumena in subsequent years.
In 1977 an English language translation by Keith Waterhouse
Keith Waterhouse
Keith Spencer Waterhouse CBE was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and the writer of many television series.-Biography:Keith Waterhouse was born in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
and Willis Hall
Willis Hall
Willis Hall was an English playwright and radio and television writer who drew on his working class roots in Leeds for much of his writings....
undertook a production at the Lyric Theatre in London directed by Franco Zeffirelli
Franco Zeffirelli
Franco Zeffirelli KBE is an Italian director and producer of films and television. He is also a director and designer of operas and a former senator for the Italian center-right Forza Italia party....
starring Colin Blakely
Colin Blakely
Colin George Blakely was a Northern Irish character actor. He was considered an actor of great range.-Early life:...
and Joan Plowright
Joan Plowright
Joan Ann Plowright, Baroness Olivier, DBE , better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress, whose career has spanned over sixty years. Throughout her career she has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award and has been nominated for an Academy Award, an Emmy, and two BAFTA Awards...
. This won The London Theatres Comedy of the year award in 1978. The production was then taken to New York City where it opened on 10 February 1980 at the St. James Theatre
St. James Theatre
The St. James Theatre is located at 246 W. 44th St. Broadway, New York City, New York. It was built by Abraham L. Erlanger, theatrical producer and a founding member of the Theatrical Syndicate, on the site of the original Sardi's restaurant. It opened in 1927 as The Erlanger...
on Broadway where it ran for 32 performances. Prior to the New York transfer it had a run in Baltimore where it was directed by Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
(Husband of Joan Plowright)
The play was performed at the Piccadilly Theatre
Piccadilly Theatre
The Piccadilly Theatre is a West End theatre located at 16 Denman Street, behind Piccadilly Circus and adjacent to the Regent Palace Hotel, in the City of Westminster, England.-Early years:Built by Bertie Crewe and Edward A...
, London, opening on 30 September 1998 and running until February 27 1999. It was directed by Peter Hall with Dame Judi Dench
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English film, stage and television actress.Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo...
in the title role. Michael Pennington
Michael Pennington
Michael Vivian Fyfe Pennington is a British director and actor who, together with director Michael Bogdanov, founded the English Shakespeare Company...
played Domenico.
Film adaptations
In 1950 Eduardo De FilippoEduardo De Filippo
Eduardo De Filippo was an Italian actor, playwright, screenwriter, author and poet, best known for his Neapolitan works Filumena Marturano and Napoli Milionaria.-Biography:...
directed the film of the play in which he starred as Domenico alongside his sister Titina
Titina De Filippo
Titina De Filippo, born Annunziata De Filippo was an Italian actress and playwrightShe was born in via Dell'Ascensione a Chiaia, Naples, the oldest of three children born from the extramarital relationship between Luisa De Filippo and Eduardo Scarpetta, a well-respected playwright in Naples...
. He also made a tv version in 1962, in which Regina Bianchi played the title role. Another screen version was directed by Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio de Sica
Vittorio De Sica was an Italian director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement....
and it was re-named Matrimonio all'italiana (Marriage Italian-Style
Marriage Italian-Style
Marriage Italian-Style is a 1964 film which tells the story of a successful businessman who kept a woman as his mistress for several years and now plans to marry another woman until his mistress pretends to be on her deathbed to induce him to marry her before she dies...
), and starred Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
and Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni, Knight Grand Cross was an Italian film actor. His honours included British Film Academy Awards, Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival and two Golden Globe Awards.- Personal life :...
. In 2010 Italian tv, RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
Uno made a miniseries starring Massimo Ranieri
Massimo Ranieri
Massimo Ranieri , is an Italian pop singer, film and stage actor.He was born in Naples , the fifth of eight children in the family. When he was 10, young Giovanni would sing at restaurants, wedding receptions, etc...
.