Mamet Cryptic About Book's Message

Many readers who have read David Mamet's new children's book, Henrietta, believe that his story of a hefty pig bluntly rejected from the Harvard Law School is an allusion to elitism and discrimination within the University.

In the first significant interview he has given about his book, however, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright told The Crimson Friday that the political message behind Henrietta was on an entirely different subject altogether.

"Don't marry out of your faith," Mamet wrote in a fax.

The other five responses Mamet gave to questions about his cute story were short and offbeat, just like his dialogue in such renowned works as "American Buffalo" (1976) and "Glengarry Glen Ross" (1984).

His responses were also tongue-in-cheek.

Mamet said he had a lofty goal in writing his 31-page book, which features touching illustrations of Boston, Cambridge and the Harvard campus by Wellesley Hills resident Elizabeth Dahlie.

"World peace" was the goal, Mamet wrote.

Mamet, who said at a kickoff event for his book at The Charles Hotel Dec. 1 that he knew "nothing about politics" and that he does not regularly read newspapers, declined an interview for a Dec. 23 Boston Globe story which examined the political implications of his book.

In his fax, Mamet said he had declined interview requests thus far because reporters did not have a significant appreciation of a major theme of postmodern theater.

"[Reporters had an] insufficient sense of the absurd," Mamet wrote.

In the story, Henrietta is rejected because she has no credentials save for an "honest and inquiring mind."

Henrietta then studies in the University's libraries until she is "discovered one too many times" and barred permanently, a "No Pigs" sign hung over a gray and forbidding door.

But like Frankfurter Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz, Mamet--who is also the author of several screenplays including Wag the Dog (1997)--downplayed any political message that might be directed towards Harvard in his book.

"What controversy," Mamet wrote.

And when asked if writing the book was a nice change of pace from his usual serious body of work, the master of minimalism responded, "No."

Local real estate developer Richard Friedman, the Martha's Vineyard owner of the larger-than-life, 1,000-pound pig Henrietta who served as the inspiration for Mamet's book, said that Mamet's book was not a typical children's story.

"It's not written like Dick and Jane," Friedman said. "His view of a children's book is a little different than the average writer."

Emily J. Halpern '02-'03, who took last semester off to work with Mamet on his upcoming film "State and Main," said, "His responses say it all."

"They're very David Mamet responses, and they don't leave much to be said," Halpern said.

"He's a very warm and generous person," she added.

But Director of the Loeb Drama Center Robert S. Brustein, the American Repertory Theatre's artistic director and a Mamet colleague, only added to the confusion.

When asked if Mamet's unusual responses correspond to his personality and his work, Brustein replied in an e-mail message that "the more interesting question is: Does his personality correspond to the questions."

Brustein added that he recommended The Crimson speak with two other colorful Mamet colleagues.

"Porky Pig and Daffy Duck," Brustein wrote.