By James V. Ruocco
And, so it begins.
Edward Albee's edgy, booze-soaked, serio-comic portrait about a dysfunctional marriage on the verge of collapse, comes to L.A.'s Geffen Playhouse just in time to celebrate the play's iconic 60th Anniversary.
First performed at the Bill Rose Theatre in October, 1962, the original production starred Uta Hagen, Arthur Hill, George Grizzard and Melinda Dillon in leading roles. It received the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play and the 1962-63 New York Drama Critic's Circle Award for Best Play. A film adaptation, penned by Ernest Lehman and directed by Mike Nichols, was released in 1966 with a stellar-cast headed by Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal and Sandy Dennis.
An explosive tale of mind games, manipulation, lies, deceit, compromise and revelation, told in three acts - "Fun and Games," "Walpurgisnacht," "The Exorcism" - the Geffen Playhouse revival stars Calista Flockhart as Martha, Zachary Quinto as George, Graham Phillips as Nick and Aimee Carrero as Honey. It is being directed by Gordon Greenberg whose credits include the West End revival of "Guys and Dolls," the North American premiere of "Piaf/Dietrich," the Broadway staging of Irving Berlin's "Holiday Inn" and the world premiere of "The Heart of Rock and Roll," the new Huey Lewis musical at The Old Globe.
"I have always loved the play, although my relationship with it changes over the years," Greenberg told Sarah Rose Leonard, Dramaturg for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" "I first saw the movie in my teens. I was living in a household that wasn't as drastically dangerous as this household, but it resonated. I certainly recognized the decaying relationship, codependence and violence, the disappointment and mourning that all these people are experiencing, I was also drawn to the exposing of the underbelly of an ostensibly perfect, orderly, suburban existence. I loved that the couple you thought had it all together and had everything going for them - the golden couple, if you will - is actually more dysfunctional than the couple who look like they're a mess and should be separated, probably. I think George and Martha have a brighter future than Honey and Nick. And that was fascinating to me."
In 2022, Albee's play, per Greenberg, is just as timely as it was when it was first performed.
"As I've gotten older, I've understood what it means to love someone through darkness at times. The way you think about life is not quite as neat and tidy and finite. If you look at the lifespan of a relationship, it's like traversing the Pacific Ocean. There are going to be storms, and there are going to be challenges and waves. But if you learn how to sail through them, you get a great reward at the end, which is mileage and longevity."
Returning to the stage after a 20-year absence, Flockhart, whose credits include "Romeo and Juliet," "The Three Sisters," "Ally McBeal," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Supergirl" and "The Glass Menagerie," is more than just excited to be starring in the Geffen Playhouse staging of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
"Whenever I did a play, I was usually the ingenue and one of the youngest people in the cast," the 57-year-old actress told the Los Angeles Times. "And now, I'm the oldest person in the cast. And I am not the ingenue. And that's really fun and exciting. I could never play Martha without all the life experience. So it feels pretty wonderful."
Theater, live theatre, is Flockhart's first love.
"I love theater. I love that it's happening in the moment right in front of your eyes. I love going to the theater. I love being in a play. I love, obviously, that it's live.
"There is no editor and it's an actor's medium. You're on stage, the director's gone and it's just very exciting to me."
Working alongside Flockhart, Phillips, completely understands why the actress is excited about bringing the character of Martha life, performance after performance. "She's got such a brilliant take on Martha that I never would have expected. She just comes across as more dangerous. It has this almost-transparent quality to her, where you feel like you really know Martha. And then something changes and you realize maybe you have the whole thing wrong all along."
Mixing truth and illusion with the inability to communicate, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf's" razor-sharp dialogue, invited parallelism, fierce interplay, raw characterizations and strong sense of purpose, is one of the main reasons why the play is so often revived. It's three-act structure, set loose in a cyclone of controversy, desperation and opinion, not only questions American values and the institution of marriage, but allows the work to stand tall in its fight for artistic freedom, inspiration and independence.
According to Greenberg, the Geffen Playhouse staging of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is also a play with hope.
"When you got adversity, the only way around it is through. We're watching these characters go through the storm probably in the worst way they ever have. I believe they come to a higher, hopefully more connected understanding of each other.
"There's a reason Albee ends the show with dawn breaking. It's almost too on the nose, but he's telling us something. My feeling is that there is hope for a future for Martha and George."
Note: For the health, safety and well-being of the actors, staff, audience and artists, everyone in attendance is to be fully vaccinated and to wear masks.
The production, which contains adult subject matter, profanity and the smoking of herbal cigarettes is not recommended for those under the age of 14. Children, six and under, will not be admitted.
Photos of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" by Jeff Lorch and Justin Bettman
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