The News Tribune, Jan. 17, 2013
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| Steve Tarry as George, Brynne Garman as Martha and Niclas R. Olson as Nick |
When Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid
of Virginia Woolf? premiered in 1962 it exploded the myths of American family
life as depicted by television shows like “Leave it to Beaver” and “Father
Knows Best.” Half a century later it is still a disturbing play, uncomfortable
to watch and in places difficult to understand. Some of the symbolism may be
lost on modern audiences, and some of the emotions may seem overblown. But
people who attend the Lakewood Playhouse performance forewarned of the harsh
themes and language will be treated to brilliant dialogue and powerful acting.
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| Nick, Honey and George |
The entire three-act play takes place in the living room of
George and Martha (no last name and intentionally named after the father and
first lady of our country). It is two o’clock in the morning. They’ve just come
home from a party at Martha’s father’s house, are already inebriated, and
Martha surprises George by letting him know she has invited the new couple,
Nick and Honey, to join them for what turns out to be an all-night binge of
drinking and sniping at one another.
It begins with uncomfortable barbed wit and degenerates
into venomous attacks. The first act is more humorous than disturbing. George
(Steve Tarry) is particularly funny as he hits everyone with zingers dryly
delivered. He is hilarious, but there is no hiding his anger. Brynne Garman as
Martha shouts and staggers so outrageously that in any other play she would be seen
as chewing the scenery, but that is precisely the kind of outrageous character
Martha is, and Garman nails it. Nick (Niclas R. Olson) is the all-American boy:
handsome, strong, intelligent and poised for success — everything that George
had hoped to be but has long since given up on. Olson plays him in an
understated manner in the first act, but as the play progresses he becomes
increasingly emotional. Honey (played by newcomer to the Lakewood Playhouse
stage Kirsten Deane) is described as mousey and not overly bright. Deane plays
her as not so much mousey but easily dumbfounded and overly eager to please.
The acting throughout is outstanding. Tarry does an amazing
job of portraying George as loveable even when he is destroying everyone,
including himself. My one reservation about his acting is that he downs
prodigious amounts of alcohol without ever appearing inebriated, even as the
other three are falling down drunk. Garman is slatternly and volatile, and she
believably changes emotions in a flash. Both Olson and Deane convincingly react
to a situation their characters do not know how to handle as they gradually let
their inner feelings come out.
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| Martha and Honey. Photos by Kate Paterno-Lick |
There is much about the play that is not easy to
understand, such as why George attacks Nick so viciously and the hidden meaning
of the story about the boy who wrecked his car and accidentally killed his
mother. And what is the big secret about George and Martha’s son? Why is he so
adamant that she should never mention “the boy”? The answers to these
conundrums are not revealed until the end, and even when they are revealed they
are not completely clear. It may help to know that these stories may be as
symbolic they are real, but that is for each viewer to decide for him or
herself.
It is performed in the round with excellent views from
three of the four seating sections, but the play is not blocked well for the
back section, which is why tickets for those seats are being held until all
others are filled.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a tough and demanding
play well acted and well directed by Larry Albert. It is a long play at right
at three hours, and it can be emotionally draining. It is a play that is seldom
produced and it is much more edgy than Lakewood Playhouse’s usual fare which I
applaud.
WHAT: Who’s Afraid of Virginia
Woolf?
WHEN:
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Feb. 2
WHERE:
Lakewood Playhouse, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood
TICKETS: $25.00, $22.00 Military,
$21.00 Seniors and $19.00 Students/Educators
INFORMATION: 253-588-0042, www.lakewoodplayhouse.org
Watch for reviews of The Search for signs of Intelligent Life in
the Universe at Harlequin and My Brother Kissed Mark Zukerberg at Dukesbay
Theater in Tacoma coming soon to this blog.
Also see Michael Dresdner's reviews of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at http://michaeldresdner.blogspot.com/2014/01/whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf-at.html
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