Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, by Edward Albee, Bath Theatre Royal

Edward Albee’s bruising tale of alcoholism and illusion is a unique beast in theatre’s illustrious canon. While most great plays hinge on the casting of one grandstanding role, Albee’s rip-rollicking four-hander Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? lives or dies on the casting of fiery Martha and impotent George. Adrian Noble’s latest production at Bath Theatre Royal has pulled off a remarkable coup in securing the services of Clare Higgins and Tim Piggott-Smith, two of Britain’s most accomplished stage actors. Neither disappointed in this thrilling production.

Anyone who has drunk the night away, or invested time in petty bickering with a fading loved one, will empathize with Albee’s disgruntled and sadistic couple. Caught up in drunken games of truth and illusion, they tear at the fabric of each other’s personas as they drag themselves into the dirt.

George is an aging minor academic in the history department of New Carthage University. His wife Martha is the daughter of the university’s president and is resentful of George’s failure to climb his career ladder. After a faculty drinking party Martha invites handsome new biology teacher Nick and his ditsy weak-stomached wife Honey over to their house for a night of endless beverages and perplexing games.

There are unsettling parallels between the lives of Martha and George and Nick and Honey. Noble subtly ekes out these comparisons to create a dynamic tension between the four characters. The disintegrating and hostile relationship between Nick and George is particularly arresting, with Tim Piggott-Smith and Nathan Wiley developing a frosty dynamism that ignites the segments when Martha is absent from the stage.

The night undoubtedly belongs to the acting prowess of Higgins and Piggott-Smith. Higgins in particular feels born to play the role of Martha. Her frame, shrill, and facial gestures make her the perfect to counter weight to George’s dithering wit and hulking figure. 

This is an exceptional production. Albee’s masterpiece is fascinating to watch, and it is a treat to see such high caliber actors sinking their teeth in the play’s juicy roles. With such a fine ensemble, the only hope now is that the production has more longevity beyond its two and a half week run in Bath. London transfer please!