photo: courtesy of Carol Rosegg
Those familiar with "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Edward Albee's evisceration of self-delusion and marital co-dependency, might knowingly brace themselves as they settle in to watch the latest revival. But Anthony Page's production, which has brought the original Broadway stars to Chicago for a scant two weeks as part of a national tour, forgoes the usual endless screeching and emotional roiling audience members have endured in the 45 years since the play was first written. Instead, Page creates a subtler, leaner look at Albee's masterpiece, in which the intimate lacerations are quick but quiet. That is to say, the blows to the audience are a little softer, but the pain on stage goes no less deep.
The revival, which stars the dual dynamos Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin, is also quite a bit funnier than past productions and much more believable. Irwin is riveting as a prissy, fidgety, altogether weary George, while Turner is ego-less as she delivers the full vulgarity and bluster of the role.
"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" corrals two couples into a late-night, booze-fueled humiliation match. The hosts are theater's most notorious married couple, George and Martha, whose happiness is thwarted as much by George's lack of professorial ambition as Martha's relentless yet futile striving. As the university president's daughter, Martha is intelligent and determined, yet as a product of the 1940s and '50s, the roles available to her are limiting. When her husband balks at Martha's grand plans for him, she busies herself with alcohol and a string of affairs.
Early on Martha sneers at George, "I swear, if you existed I'd divorce you." George, in asking Martha to keep reasonably sober in front of their guests, spits back, "There aren't many more sickening sights than you with a couple of drinks in you and your skirt up over heard head.
The new couple on campus, who becoming unwitting participants of the late-night battle, are Nick, a 28-year-old biology professor with not-too-secret plans to take over the university (played by David Furr, who hits 'golden boy' on the nose), and Honey, his wealthy, somewhat wacky young wife (played by Kathleen Early, who plays the part with a heavy hand in the first act but finds her footing as the play—and her character's level of inebriation—continues).
As the couples come together, marital alliances dissolve into a hellish free-for-all of personal attacks and public humiliations.
"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" runs through April 7 at the LaSalle Bank Theatre. Tickets cost $22.50-$72.50 and can be purchased by calling (312)902-1400.
