The Doll Brothel

Fado is the sad blue song of lost love, country missed and the whims of fate: thus Fado.

We went to the Museo de Fado yesterday. Fado came from working class and proletariat roots born in revolutionary anger.

The "Fadoists" as they were called were one eyed men who played guitar and threw knives at people to intimidate them. They were men and women of the streets: ruffians, thieves and whores.

The famous painting of the Fado player singing to his Mistress who had some huge stilleto scar on her cheek gives you a feel of a time and place of poverty, grub and a Dickensian dignity.

The Fado museum had many treasures but none more weird than this.

A famous sculptor who I think drank a lot made a very realistic dolls house with small furniture, living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms.  However it was a doll brothel to celebrate Fado's gritty roots.

Each tiny bedroom had tiny black and white photos of women of the evening in 1900 states of undress.

A strange  play: Ibsen: The Doll's Brothel