Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee
This is one of the Best Plays Of All Times. Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was first performed in October 1962. It explores the difficulties Martha and George, a middle-aged couple, face in their marriage. They unwittingly invite Nick and Honey, a younger couple, as guests one late night after a university faculty party, drawing them into their sour and strained relationship. Their words—and what powerful words they are—are their weapons. As secrets, grudges, and even genuine devotion are revealed, erudition and vulgarity combine to poetic heights.
The play has three acts and typically lasts little under three hours, including two 10-minute intermissions. The name of the renowned English author Virginia Woolf is substituted in the song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" from Walt Disney's Three Little Pigs (1933) for the title. Throughout the play, Martha and George perform this rendition of the song frequently.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? received the 1962–63 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play as well as the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play. The modern stage frequently revives it. Ernest Lehman wrote the screenplay, Mike Nichols directed it, and Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, George Segal, and Sandy Dennis starred in the 1966 motion picture adaptation.
Written by: Edward Albee
Date premiered: October 13, 1962
