Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

George and Martha stumble home from a faculty party and as the liquor flows so too does the caustic banter between the two of them. We sense within moments that all is not right with this married couple. A dialogue filled with dissatisfied and resentful repartee is served up with a sense of entitlement as each focus on the other's vulnerabilities.

Martha (Julie Quick) is filled with vitriol and too much gin and the object of her disdain is her husband. Quick is crude and demanding and manages to sustain her diva-like qualities throughout. Prone to fits of laughter, it is clear she has played the game many times. George soon discovers that his ‘adoring’ wife has invited a younger couple from the party back for drinks. His frustration is evident as he questions why, but all becomes clear as the games continue, each guest a pawn in their wicked wordplay. George (Chris Leech) is cast exceptionally well, his simmering mood maintained and frustration obvious as he does his best to control and even underplay his responses. Honey and Nick, played respectively by Jessica Carrol and Mark Healy, are well suited and offer a glimpse of perhaps a younger couple full of hope and promise. As Nick, Healy is glib; Honey almost timid through Carrol's portrayal. It does not take long for Honey and Nick to be drawn into George and Martha’s web of madness.

Director Geoff Brittain does a marvellous job in making sure the action is believable and ramping up the intensity from the start; however he is experienced enough to know when to take a breath and let the audience absorb the action unfolding.

The Little Theatre is an ideal venue; an intimate setting allows the audience to study the faces of the actors, adding to the overall feeling of discomfort. A play that intensifies with every act and exposes the lengths we will go to hide pain and fabricate happiness; each performer given the space to show their range.

The action takes place in the wonderfully thought out living room of Martha and George. Tom Clancy has done a fine job in creating a workable space that complements the play. The attention to detail of props by James Watson is never clearer than the strategically placed chess board on George’s desk.

Do yourself a favour and brave the chill to witness this high quality production. Exhausting to watch; you too may need a stiff drink.

Kerry Cooper