NEW YORK (AP) – Men were eagerly waiting for Scarlett Johansson’s Broadway interpretation of “Maggie the Cat”, but the actress announced on Wednesday that her character will not rely on sexuality. The actress will perform in Tennessee Williams’ play “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” for the first time on January 17, the premiere date of the show.
Scarlett Johansson has always been described as a sexy actress making her the most appropriate star for the interpretation of the character “Maggie the Cat”. Yet, the director who staged Tennessee Williams’ play decided to surprise his audience by conferring a more naturalistic look to the actress. According to the theater’s announcement, Johansson will not wear sexy lingerie or other sensual garments as other actresses did for the past versions of the play.
Elizabeth Taylor, Anika Noni Rose, Ashley Judd and Kathleen Turner have all played the part of Maggie the Cat making their character look desperate to regain their husband’s love. Scarlett, on the other hand, thinks the character’s personality and words are enough to express her sensuality. “There’s no need to drape yourself all over the stage and roll around in a satin sheet,” the actress explained. In her opinion, the sexuality of Maggie the Cat is not the most important aspect in Tennessee Williams’ play. However, this aspect is usually “overplayed and over-appreciated” shadowing the other significant elements of the story.
The decision to tone down Maggie’s sexuality could have important repercussions for the play’s revenue. Ticket sales could plunge as viewers might no longer be interested in seeing the Broadway play. The Golden-Globe winning actress doesn’t seem to be bothered by this detail. In fact, the “Avengers” star would gladly accept half-price tickets as long as her character gets the right interpretation.
Rob Ashford was responsible for the mise en scéne of the play. Scarlett Johansson will be accompanied by actors like Benjamin Walker, the interpreter of Maggie’s husband, Ciaran Hinds as Big Daddy and Debra Monk as Big Mama.
