Sicilian tragedi

by Ottavio Cappellani

Una "black comedy" colta ed esilarante. In Sicilia, nel coloratissimo palcoscenico mediterraneo dove nacquero la Tragedia e la Commedia, un'umanità composita e chiassosa assiste a una storia di odio, amore, omicidio, vendetta, sangue. Sullo sfondo, il giorno più bello della vita di una donna: il suo matrimonio. Tra i protagonisti, due famiglie di pari dignità mafiosa ferocemente contrapposte per la bellezza e l'onore di una "fimmina" e Tino Cagnotto, regista d'avanguardia "rotto a tutte le sperimentazioni". Per il suo Romeo e Giulietta recluta due colonne del teatro popolare catanese sfidando ad un tempo tutta la varia umanità degli assessori, patrocini, feste di piazza e sagre del pesce spada.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Theatre, Italy

332 pages, Hardcover

First published February 27, 2007

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to drag myself back to the page every two sentences.

[Yolanda (dinsunllibre) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Si vos soc sincera, no sé ni per on començar... Vaig voler llegir aquest llibre perquè la premissa em va cridar molt l'atenció i vaig pensar que segurament seria molt divertida i plena d'ironia, però a mi no em va acabar de convèncer, crec no li vaig saber pillar el punt. No obstant això, he de dir que el que és entretenir, sí que m'ha entretingut. És un llibre de bon llegir, i és per això que, tot i que la proposta no m'hagi fet el pes, no el vaig abandonar.

Com diu la novel·la: "som a Sicília i, per més que les forces s'hi escarrassin, si ha de passar res és molt probable que passi". I sí, passen diverses coses, però tot comença amb l'assassinat d'un regidor durant la representació de la nova versió que ha fet en Cagnotto, un director arruïnat i depressiu, de Romeu i Julieta. Així comença la novel·la, però l'autor, abans d'endinsar-se en aquest fet, ens farà retrocedir a dos mesos abans i tendrem, d'una banda, la història d'en Cagnotto i el muntatge de l'obra i, de l'altra, la trama de l'Alfio Turrisi, un jove mafiós que es passeja amb un Aston Martin i que s'ha enamorat de na Betty, la filla d'en Turi Pirotta, el cap local de la màfia tradicional. Tot això s'entrellaça, generalment en capítols alterns, i ens acaba brindant un ventall de personatges caricaturitzats: polítics i mafiosos ineptes, dramaturgs ploramiques, actors que han quedat a l'oblit, aristòcrates pedants... En definitiva, tot plegat bastant delirant.

[Phoebes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un romanzo che credo voleva essere divertente ma che invece mi ha annoiato. Più coinvolgente nella seconda parte, per cui il voto medio e non bassissimo. Nel complesso tiepidino.

https://www.naufragio.it/iltempodileg...

[Giuseppe Lio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben scritto, originale e molto divertente, non capisco proprio il perche' di cosi' tante valutazioni negative...

[V · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't

[Alex Biedka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Naprawdę próbowałem. Starałem się. Ale pierwszy raz w życiu po 70 stronach zdenerwowałem się na książkę.

Mnogość nazwisk, opisów i wydarzeń a to wszystko polane sosem z chaosu. Tyle rzeczy dzieje się na raz. Nie wiem czy to specjalnie by oddzielić ziarno od plew.

Kupiona na nadmorskim stoisku z książkami. Zachęcony klimatami włoskimi. Zniechęcony przez wszechobecny chaos. Trochę jak w Neapolu :)

Może nie jestem w momencie w życiu na tą książkę. Wraca na półkę, a jeżeli sięgnę po nią po taż kolejny- będzie nowa ocena. Książka na ten moment nie dla mnie.

[Angy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Di-ver-ti-dís-si-ma!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tino Cagnotto is the stereotypical vain, extravagant, gay experimental theater director taking anti-depressants and stimulants, trying to find inspiration and funding for his next production as he is running out of money to support his lifestyle. It could be so very sad, but set him in Sicily, surround him with stereotypical small-time Mafia, small-town government, small-time aristocracy and star-crossed lovers and you have grand and “laugh out loud funny” farce.

Poor Cagnotto has run out of ideas, he has no current lover, and the doctor cannot get his medication straight. (Never mind that he frequently mixes the meds with a little alcohol!) The local cultural commissioner needs a new production to attract tourists to the town, and is pushing him to come up with his next production.

Turi Pirotta is a local mobster whose position is being usurped by Alfio Turrisi. “Mister Turrisi” owns a bank in London, drives around in an Aston Martin with a right hand wheel and is enamored with all things English. He is buying up land all around the island because it has oil on it.

Pirotta started out driving a cement-mixer—that his how he wooed his wife, Wanda. Now he just “fixes” things and launders money, and Wanda and his daughter, Betty, just “bust his balls”.

But hark! Alfio catches a glimpse of Betty and falls in love—he writes to Pirotta to ask his permission to court the lovely Betty. Pirotta sees a way out of his business and family problems. Betty is out of the house and the enemy is part of the family.

Hark again! Cagnotto meets the charming young and innocent Bobo, who loves him. Bobo inspires Cagnotto to produce a new interpretation of “Romeo and Juliet” using “dialect street actors”--the young and beautiful Romeo, Mercutio and Juliet all played by down and out and aging Sicilian street actors.

The fun really begins when one of the commissioners is shot at the opening night production and it rolls on from there. There is much “ball-busting” and “f**king” going on, but no sex. An entertaining story from murderous start to happy ending!

[The Rainbow Zee · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I read the synopsis of this book, it made me think of The Godfather, The Birdcage, and a humorous attempt at staging Romeo & Juliet. But when I signed up to win this on First Reads I really had no idea what I was getting into: a 340 page struggle to read and finish this book.

I found myself being confused by the numerous characters and the writing itself, whom some have said reminded them of the bare bones of a screenplay. I graduated with a degree in Literature, I enjoy books of all sorts. But I was lost most of the time, and each time I was ready to give up, I resigned myself to keep going.

In short--a lackluster group of actors keep attempting to put on a sometime improvised production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. However, Death keeps stealing the stage. You'd think this would be a murder mystery but with so many characters to lose track of, and so many barely-there plot additions, what could have been a great book was turned into a "dear God let me finish this so I can review it and swap it out".

I suppose if you are Italian, are in Italy, or have great interest in the Italian Mafia, this book may be for you (don't go for the Shakespeare, that's where I got sucked in).

I had moments of amusement, and even the end made me stop and think (no spoilers here!) With all due respect to the Author and translator of course, the only Tragedee I found was having to spend the time reading this.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sicilian Tragedee is very well written. The only problem I had with it is that it's pace is a little sluggish at times, and I had a difficult time keeping the names straight, but over all, I liked it.

I have to say, I thought it was very well written. It reminded me of books I read in Modern Wold Literature. The style is very European and all of the characters are more so. (Of course, it makes sense for them to be, seeing as how it takes place in Italy.) The characters were difficult for me to really connect with, as they were so un-American. The idea of just lounging about, doing nothing and visiting people, but really doing nothing is so foreign to me...it's just so un-American...or maybe that's how they live in LA and Orange County--spending money without much thought of the cost and never working, but it's not the world I know.

I recieved this book for free through Goodreads First Reads

[Joan]

The theme is star-crossed lovers, but Shakespeare would be a bit startled at the casting. It's not in fair Verona that we set our scene, but hot Sicily. And the households are alike in their lack of dignity.

Take: Tino Cagnotto, theatre director, who is trying to stage an unusual production of Romeo and Juliet, while battling depression and wooing his younger inamorato, Bobo. Add: Alfio Turrisi, mafioso, in love with Betty Pirotta, daughter of a rival, said rival being all to happy at the prospect of getting the spoiled brat off his hands.

Mix in: various aristocrats, dueling cultural commissioners, and actors (never forget the actors!)

Result: plots, counter-plots, confusion, hilarity and un libro molto divertente!

[Astraplain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A frantic, funny book with a huge cast each with their own agenda. There are plots and counterplots and a bit of chaos as each of the characters tries to manipulate people and situations to their own advantage. Despite a bit of confusion in keeping track of so many characters, I enjoyed this story. With so many subplots, there are a few small things unresolved at the end, but nothing that makes the book feel unfinished.

[Justin Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though it took a little while for me to get into this book, I ended up finding it pretty enjoyable. I did have a little difficulty at the beginning with keeping names straight and remembering who was who, but as the characters were fleshed out that problem disappeared for the most part. I thought the pace could have been picked up a little as it seemed to drag along at times. Overall this book was a fairly quick and easy read but just not quite as good as I was hoping.

[wally · Rating 1 out of 5]

began this one last year...left off. it is a good story, but the names made it confusing, as did the sexuality. i was never sure what i was reading. it has a kind of hilarious feel to it. i mark it read, though i didn't finish. maybe some other time. no stars as not complete

got to wondering...if like maybe that was the intent...since that calvino fellow wrote that one story about towns and nobody knows what the hey is going on, or sposed to, or something.


boyga.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I quit about a quarter of the way through. I was tired of the flip-book introduction of characters that was supposed to be a giddy, gonzo immersion in contemporary Sicilian society but just made me think about how cool the writer wants us to think he is.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sicilian Tragedee was clever and fun, and recommended to those to enjoy a strong dose of the absurd. The novel, however, should most certainly be categorized as a light read; perhaps better for a lazy August week at the cabin than mid-winter coffee house fuel.

[Ffiamma · Rating 4 out of 5]

cappellani è esilarante- qui ancora di più che nel precedente "chi è lou sciortino". il mondo dei notabili catanesi, ammazzatine, intrallazzi politici e mafiosi, shakespeare e il dialetto. divertentissimo, mirabolante.

[Ann Tonks · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I'm not sure I understand enough of the political and social context of Sicily to fully appreciate this satire of contemporary life and theatre. However, it was an unusual style and story so I kept going with some amusing pay offs in the end.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sicilian mobsters versus a traditionalist acting troop as Romeo and Juliet plays out in the summer sunshine. Archly amusing.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Won this on first reads.

I just could not get into this book. I am not sure if it was the format or what but it just did not pull me in.

[Josette]

High drama and hilarity in Sicily. Whats not to love

[Tex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the circus that was the story line of this book, but frankly couldn't keep the characters separated in my mind clearly enough to really follow who was messing with whom.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Make it through the first 30 pages and it becomes easier to follow. An appreciation of Romeo and Juliet or Shakespeare might make this book more enjoyable.

[Emy Woodring · Rating 3 out of 5]

So hard to get into :(

[Laurie Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outrageous characters - a fun read, if sometimes grotesque.

[Margherita Dolcevita · Rating 1 out of 5]

E' stata una tragedi finirlo.

[Kin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Sicilia, dice l'autore, le commedie diventano tragedie , e viceversa.Anche Shakespeare si deve adattare.