‘Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia’ Review: Plath’s Ghost Haunts a Stilted New Play
The enduring legacy of Sylvia Plath, the poet who died by suicide in 1963, continues to captivate and inspire artistic exploration, but a new play attempting to grapple with her story is facing challenges. “Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia,” which opened Thursday at the Geffen Playhouse, aims to intertwine the lives of Plath and her husband, Ted Hughes, with a contemporary couple also navigating the complexities of marriage and artistic ambition.
A Literary Obsession
Plath’s life and work have long been the subject of intense scrutiny, a phenomenon noted by The New Yorker’s Janet Malcolm, who likened biographers to “the professional burglar, breaking into a house…and triumphantly bearing his loot away.” More than 60 years after her death at age 30, the fascination with Plath persists, evidenced by ongoing theatrical and literary interpretations of her story.
The Play’s Premise
Beth Hyland’s play unfolds across two timelines. It depicts Plath and Hughes in Boston before the birth of their children, and simultaneously follows Sally and Theo, a modern couple grappling with marital issues, career pressures, and mental health struggles. Sally, a writer struggling with her second book and a recent miscarriage, even expresses a darkly self-destructive sentiment, stating, “If I can’t do that when I’m living in their apartment, I should honestly just kill myself.”
Critical Reception
Early reviews suggest the play is struggling to find its footing. The writing is described as unsettled, and the dual timeline creates pacing issues. The portrayals of Plath and Hughes themselves are being criticized. Cillian O’Sullivan’s performance as Ted Hughes is noted for an inconsistent accent, while Marianna Gailus’s interpretation of Plath is described as resembling a “Ryan Murphy version” of the poet.
Conceptual Ambition, Uneven Execution
The play’s ambition—to explore the echoes of Plath and Hughes’s struggles in a contemporary context—is apparent. However, the execution is hampered by what one critic describes as “artificiality.” The dynamic between Sally and Theo, while potentially compelling, is currently characterized as “snappish” and lacking in dramatic momentum. Theo, a newly-laureled novelist, and Sally, facing writer’s block and personal turmoil, represent a modern parallel to the fraught relationship of Plath and Hughes.
The play’s direction, by Jo Bonney, incorporates stylistic choices like a “ghost story” element and a shift to crimson lighting during moments of Sally’s distress, but these choices don’t appear to coalesce into a cohesive vision. The play concludes with a monologue from Sally that is described as a “complete cop-out,” failing to resolve the narrative threads.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia” about?
The play explores the relationship between Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes alongside a contemporary couple, Sally and Theo, who are grappling with similar issues of marriage, ambition, and mental health while living in the same Boston apartment once occupied by Plath and Hughes.
What are critics saying about the play?
Critics have noted that the play’s writing is unsettled, the pacing is uneven, and the portrayals of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes are unconvincing.
Where and when is the play being performed?
“Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia” is being performed at the Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., L.A., through March 8th, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays.
Given the play’s current challenges, will the production undergo revisions during its run, or will it conclude as currently staged?