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

Theatrius

Theater Reviews—San Francisco and Beyond

“Mark of the Minotaur” Merges Mystery and Misogyny—at The Marsh

“Mark of the Minotaur” Merges Mystery and Misogyny—at The Marsh

November 25, 2022 Patricia L. Morin

Sharon Eberhardt Links Anthropologist Alice Kober & Mythical Ariadne

by Patricia L. Morin

Through the lives of two trailblazing women, the “Mark of the Minotaur” manifests the ageless, unwarranted suppression of women’s achievements.

Sharon Eberhardt welcomes us on a stage with only a box, sharing straight out: “I am not a historian.” She confesses that she’s attracted to mysteries. Dressed casually, Eberhardt transmits her excitement about discovery.

She found out about Alice Kober who was born in 1906 in New York City. We quickly become curious about Kober, an anthropologist. Having studied the classics at Hunter College, she wanted to decipher “Linear B,” clay tablets written in an unknown ancient language, first discovered on the island of Crete in 1900.

Sharon Eberhardt & Linear B. Photo: Dmitri Meyer

Channeling Kober, Eberhardt explains in a soft Hungarian-accent that she is building phonetic connections between symbols. I found the stages of Kober’s work the most captivating part of Eberhart’s monologue.

As Kober delves into the Linear B tablets, she realizes that the etched clay figures may hold the secret of Ariadne and the Minotaur!

Eberhardt constructs a loose association between the two women. But she centers on their unique feats, both of which were stolen by men:  “The ancients were just as messed up as us, focusing on the wrong things, distracted by money, a shiny star, a handsome face.”

Sharon Eberhardt

At 15 years old, Ariadne, King Minos’ starry-eyed daughter, saves a handsome “hero-type” boy who was going to be sacrificed to the Minotaur. She instructs the hero, Theseus, how to kill the half-man. half-bull Beast in the labyrinth. However, instead of bringing her with him to Athens, as promised, Theseus abandons her on an island. And he is honored for her achievement.

Dividing Eberhardt’s tale into three, Director David Ford cleverly uses a third of the stage for each scene. The three scenes illustrate: Kober’s life; Ariadne & Theseus’ quest; and Kober’s slow unfolding of the Linear B puzzle.

Eberhardt uses humorous postures and voices:  Hair-twirling for stereotypical teenager Ariadne; a hunky, deep-voice for Theseus; and a flirty god Dionysus. These typical physical gestures draw us in, but the movements sometimes seem exaggerated, as she switches roles abruptly.

Michael Ventris

Handsome Michael Ventris, a young architect, arrives to share the work on Linear B with Kober. Ventris finds the final key to Kober’s work, but grabs the whole credit for himself. In fact, Eberhardt concludes, “His name comes up when you search: “Who deciphered Linear B?” It is unfair to Alice that there’s only one name on top,” usually Ventris’ name.

Nameless women and wives live in the shadows of a male-centered universe. Thanks to the new women’s movement, now we get to hear voices like Eberhardt’s. The Alice Kobers of this world are emerging into the spotlight.

Eberhardt makes the show fun with her imagined scenarios shrouded in history. She reveals the importance of honoring women’s hidden accomplishments.


“Mark of the Minotaur”
by Sharon Eberhardt, directed by David Ford, at The Marsh, Berkeley.   Info: TheMarsh.org – to December 3, 2022.

Cast: Sharon Eberhardt

Banner photo: Sharon Eberhardt & Alice Kober. Photo: The Marsh


#International, Plays, solo shows
Civil Rights, Colonialism, exploitation, feminism, hope, Identity, justice, love, patriarchy, power, Romance, social class, wit, women, Women's Rights, workers

Post navigation

NEXT
“Colonialism Is Terrible, But Pho Is Delicious” Rocks Your Soup—at Aurora
PREVIOUS
“Frozen” Enchants with Sisterhood & Icey Beauty—at BroadwaySF
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

  • “Private” Tears A Marriage Wide Open—at SFBATCO
  • “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

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.