Cast

Synopsis

In the early hours of the morning on the campus of an American college, Martha, much to her husband, George’s, displeasure, has invited the new professor and his wife to their home for some after-party drinks. As the alcohol flows and dawn approaches, the young couple are drawn into George and Martha’s toxic games until the evening reaches its climax in a moment of devastating truth-telling. A Tony Award Winner for Best Play and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this is an explosive, tension-filled battle of the sexes. It is a visceral experience, as we watch, hypnotized, the spectacle of a couple tearing each other apart.

Directors Notes

Many members of the audience will have heard of or seen the film, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Edward Albee’s play isn’t so much about a boozy marital fight as in the film but more about the state of the 1950s American dream, which was all about acquiring a happy stable family, a happy stable house, and (if you were a man) a happy table job. In his play he suggests that married couples may make up images of themselves for their friends and neighbours and create illusions for their husbands and wives as well. Certainly in this play both of the couples make up fantasies about their lives together.

It is interesting to note that the characters of George and Martha are thought to be named after George and Martha Washington, making them symbolic of America as a whole. So what about the American dream? I do believe that Martha and George care deeply for each other, but events have turned their marriage into a nasty battle between two disenchanted, cynical enemies. They are not even trying to pretend they’re happy and they seem to be constantly tearing apart both each other and their party guests, Nick and Honey.

The title of the play is thought to be a play on the Disney song “Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?”. Virginia Woolf’s name may have been used as she was an author who wrote about ‘truth and veneer’, which has lead some to think that Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is just another way of asking, “Who’s afraid to live without illusion?”.

As always I am very grateful for the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, without these hidden heroes the play could not go on.