BWW Reviews: Sylvia Plath's THREE WOMEN - Poetry Passing Quickly

By: Oct. 18, 2010
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Fans of the poet will enjoy Sylvia Plath's one-act staged by Robert Shaw at the 59/59 theater, but perhaps not for its unique interpretation. For THREE WOMEN, the words are the real stars.

Not surprisingly, the play features three women: The Secretary (Angela Church), The Wife (Francis Benhamou) and The Student (Kina Bermudez). In intertwining monologues, the women ruminate on the subjects of motherhood, fertility and womanhood as they pertain to their individual stories.

The page to stage translation is a tricky one. According to the accompanying information (provided by the production), THREE WOMEN was first published in1962 with the subtitle, 'A Monologue for Three Voices.' In it's third publication in 1971, (in the Plath collection, 'Winter Trees') the play was published as 'A Poem for Three Voices' and the characters were re-named First, Second and Third Voice. Indeed, the play listens as a poem. Beautiful words from fine voices, but the trouble comes from the production which provides little support. The set consists of four large and artfully placed windows. The women are dressed in varying shades of black and gray. Any hint of specificity disappears and we are left with three women reciting a poem that at times, passes a little too quickly to fully relish - or understand.

For instance, those who read the program notes will recognize that these women speak from the maternity ward of a hospital. Those who did not read the program notes are simply out of luck. Instead of choosing a recognizable location (or locations) to support Plath's metaphors, we are left with a blank canvas to project her images. Without context, the production struggles to breathe life into Plath's words.

Another problem, and one the production did their best to remedy, was borne of the fact that intertwining monologues are inherently inactive. When characters do not interact, dramatic tension can be lost. Director Shaw lets the women exchange props and inhabit overlapping spaces, but these moments occasionally raised logistical questions concerning who the women were talking to and who could hear them.

All in all, this mere 45-minute piece is a massive undertaking. While problematic for the stage, Plath's verse does not disappoint. The poetry passes quickly, but for Plath admirers the effect can be sweet.

THREE WOMEN plays at 5959 Theatre through October 31.

 

Photo Credit: Ari Mintz



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