Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf Onstage Again
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is a dark comedy by Edward Albee. It first opened on Broadway on October 13, 1962 a the Billy Rose Theatre. The original production featured legendary actress and acting teacher Uta Hagen as Martha and Arthur Hill as George. It was immediately controversial due to the nature of its subject matter and extreme use of abusive language and profanity. However, this did not deter it from receiving great critical acclaim and it won a Tony Award for Best Play. It also won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award that same season.
The play revolves around a married couple, George and Martha, who invite George’s new colleague Nick and his young wife Honey, over for a dinner party. The evening quickly dissolves into chaos as George and Martha viciously argue and insult each other as they progress further into drunkenness. The disturbing elements of their relationship and personal lives are revealed in endless slew of insults that fill the evening. What sets this apart from standard dramas is its amazing use of sarcasm and humor that keeps the audience laughing through the despair and turmoil.
This play is still widely popular today and is often produced in major cities around the world. It enjoyed a Broadway revival in recent years and starred Kathleen Turner as Martha. She also joined the touring company and performed the role in major cities and theatres. Theatre tickets are available online for most productions. The play was also adapted into a film version in 1966 and stared Elizabeth Taylor as Martha and Richard Burton as George. George Segal played Nick and Sandy Dennis was cast as Honey. The film as well as the play was considered to be extremely controversial at its release. The intense sexual themes, and disturbing language and display of emotional and substance abuse were elements in the controversial aspect.
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