Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Butterfly Theatre is taking time out from the excellent ‘Beer’ Theatre the company usually presents in a pub venue. Yet the theme continues, because Edward Albee’s now classic Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? which the company is currently staging at Holden Street Theatres, is steeped in what seems to be as many bevvies as any pub, let alone as much alcoholic brawling as one might find outside late night clubs.

George from the History Department and slightly older wife Martha arrive home at 2 am after a faculty party run by Martha’s father, who is Principal of New Carthage University.  Martha is in her usual loud and sarcastic form, baiting and berating George for his perceived career and other failures at every opportunity. To George’s initial annoyance, she has invited a young couple from the party for drinks. On arrival Nick, an ambitious young man from the Biology Department, together with his naïve wife Honey, are manipulated into participating in the older couple’s emotionally destructive, sexually troubling and savagely funny mind games.

Set in 1962 this commentary on destructive relationships within marriage is also thought by some to reflect Albee’s view of the political turmoil and threat of annihilation present in the USA at the time (the Cuban nuclear crisis).  Even the University name reflects a place of destruction, with the Carthage of ancient times known for such a fate.

Essentially, though, the themes viciously counterbalance the private truths, the secrets and false public faces of the two couples in this play, particularly George and Martha.  As audience members we are witness to the way in which the expectations of and disappointments within individuals in a relationship can eventually destroy the public fantasy of that relationship.

Brant Eustice gives a towering and sustained performance as George in one of the most memorable and nuanced characterisations I have seen in theatre for many a year. It is all there- George’s repressed but simmering self-hatred and desolation, his intellect, snidely savage humour and more. Bravo.

As Martha, Bronwyn Ruciak is also excellent. Martha’s self-destructive nature, her derisory putdowns of George, her use of sex as a weapon and eventually, her vulnerability, shine through.

Robert Bell is very good as Nick, the young academic who, fueled by alcohol and protective of his wife, tries to go head to head with George and Martha. But in letting down his guard and revealing the truth behind his own marriage, he becomes a pawn in their savage game play. Bell’s arc as the character is well–created as Nick moves from nervous and protective young husband to drunken participant in Martha’s sexual taunts of George. Nick’s gradually dawning realisation that he has stumbled into a spiders’ web that will impact his own marriage is very well performed by Bell.

Madeleine Herd is superb as naïve Honey, who in less talented hands could easily come across as a bimbo. Herd creates a young woman who also ‘puts on a face’, because there is a marriage secret here too. In Herd’s hands, Honey’s nervous, brittle laughter and willingness to please gives way to graphic and heartbreaking realisation that she has been betrayed.  A fine performance.

Directors Angela Short and Matthew Chapman use Short’s minimalist set well. Tape on the floor is intended to designate a boxing ring and action is often ‘corner to corner’ as occurs in such a ring. Some of the audience are seated ‘ringside’. The marketing widely promoted this fresh and ‘different’ boxing ring setting and so I was a tad disappointed on arrival that the set was in reality no more imaginative in terms of that theme than could be expected in a non-themed minimalist 'theatre in the round' performance, a small quibble though.

Original music by Phil Short, together with Stephen Dean’s lighting contribute well to the atmosphere.

This is a very long play due the repetitious writing of the pugilistic fantasies George and Martha indulge in to damage themselves and their guests. Two intervals help relieve the pressure for the audience but also contribute to the production’s length.

However the sensational performances of the experienced and talented cast make the sustained pummeling of the narrative worth every minute. Well done Butterfly Theatre. With Virginia Woolf this company has come of age.

Lesley Reed

Photographer: Richard Parkhill