Theatrius
  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us
  • Search Icon

Theatrius

Theater Reviews—San Francisco and Beyond

“Who Killed Sylvia Plath” Summons a Vivid Hallucination, at The Marsh, Berkeley

“Who Killed Sylvia Plath” Summons a Vivid Hallucination, at The Marsh, Berkeley

September 28, 2019 Michael V. Rodriguez

Millennial Notes

Lynne Kaufman Channels Plath’s Restless Spirit

by Michael Vincent Rodriguez

We now know Sylvia Plath as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century and a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, but Lynne Kaufman’s succinct play is a window into the soul of the artist before the acclaim. In “Who Killed Sylvia Plath,” we hear the testimony of a feminist becalmed just before the second wave breaks.

Lorri Holt portrays Sylvia Plath as a scatter-brained survivor of electroshock therapy, emotional abuse, and career hampering sexism. Even with her boatload of trauma, Plath harbors a steady resolve to be a great writer.

Holt acts with a magnetic energy that draws our eyes. She exhibits a perfect blend of strength and sorrow. Strutting the stage in a pair of dashing black heels, she embodies the ghost of the punctilious poet.

Lori Holt as Sylvia Plath. Photos by David Allen

The heels come off when Plath recalls her first romantic moments with her husband Ted Hughes and we feel the naked intimacy the two poets once shared. Later, after Plath discovers Hughes’ betrayal, we can feel the disdain ooze through her skin.

Sylvia Plath rumbles like a volcano. At first glance, she seems pleasant, simmering somberly in the distance; but as we watch her struggle with a severe case of imposter syndrome, the tumultuous lava bubbles up in her soul. Bravo! to Lorri Holt whose Plath is filled with human elation and heartfelt grief.

But it’s not all dark moments. Playwright Lynne Kaufman peppers her play plenty of humor too. When Plath impersonates her husband and her daughter in impeccable British accents, her spot-on caricatures bring down the house. Plath’s dry wit snaps at every opportunity and we easily understand her reputation as a ‘firecracker.’

Lori Holt as Sylvia Plath

Who killed Sylvia? The answer is obvious: She killed herself. But Kaufman addresses the more important question: “Why?”

Was it her neglectful husband abandoning her that made her stick her head in the oven? Was it the burden of being a single mother in the harshest winter England had seen in 150 years? Or, was it being the forerunner of a new wave of feminism that would only gain speed after her death?

As an avid fan of Plath’s work, I learned so much about her from this play. As Plath says, “I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am.” This one woman show is the bray of Sylvia’s heart. We learn what she was to herself: A woman burdened by a patriarchal society, seeking rebirth through destruction.

“Who Killed Sylvia Plath” adds depth to Plath’s body of work and spreads awareness about the tribulations she and other women face: crippling poverty, mandatory child-rearing, shoddy psychological diagnosis, red tape, financial dependency. We come to understand how women are  kept from their power and the drastic effects on the psyche. Kaufman’s play and Holt’s performance are a must see for any fan of poetry or advocate of feminism.

 

“Who Killed Sylvia Plath” by Lynne Kaufman, directed by Warren David Keith, at The Marsh, Berkeley, through Sunday, October 20, 2019. Info: themarsh.org

Cast: Lorri Holt as Sylvia Plath.


Millennial Notes, Plays
Capitalism, Family, feminism, Identity, love, marriage, patriarchy, poverty, power, Romance, sex, social class, women, Women's Rights

Post navigation

NEXT
“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”—A Raucous Good Time, at Custom Made, S.F.
PREVIOUS
“Top Girls” Transcends Time & Space for Magnificent Women, at ACT, S.F.
Comments are closed.

Menu

  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us

BLM

Black Lives Matter

Subscribe for upcoming reviews!
Loading

Current Shows

  • “Dry Powder” Spotlights Wall Street Power-Brokers—at Left Edge
  • “Pride and Prejudice, The Musical” Enchants with Sass & Satire—at Ross Valley
  • “Clue” Melds Mystery & Comedy into Entertaining Adventure—at SF Playhouse
  • “Donna”: Intimate Interviews Celebrate Trans Triumphs—On Screen
  • “Fannie”: Sixties Spirituals Pave Path to Freedom—at TheatreWorks
  • “’Tasha” Tackles Raw Racism—at 3Girls
  • “Tea Party” Brews Up a Cup of America—at The Strand
  • “A Raisin in the Sun” Explodes with Drama and Power—at 6th Street
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Deserves Its Standing Ovation—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Mixes Nostalgic Hits with Terror—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Fun Home” Seduces with Strong Songs & Sultry Sass—at Berkeley Playhouse
  • “Anything Goes”: It’s Delightful, It’s Delicious, It’s De-lovely—at 42nd Street Moon
  • “SIX, The Musical” Celebrates Women’s Freedom & Individuality—at BroadwaySF
  • “Fun Home” Bursts with Love & Feeling—at Berkeley Playhouse
  • “Dear San Francisco” Wows with Kaleidoscopic Acrobatics—at Club Fugazi

About us:

If you want to see the best plays & performances around the San Francisco Bay or beyond, read our reviews. We promise to give you a true report on the best shows.
Bay Area Critics Circle

Barry David Horwitz, Editor of Theatrius, is a Voting Member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle, SFBATCC. Follow us on: facebook.com

© 2023   All Rights Reserved.