Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf - Royal Exchange - 19/03/07 by James Ellaby

"Truth and illusion. Who knows the difference?" asks put-upon university professor George at one point in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. The lines between those two are certainly blurred in Edward Albee's classic play as George and his acerbic wife Martha host an apocalyptic post-dinner-party party with young professor Nick and his naive wife Honey. On the surface it's obvious what's going on as these four feud and bicker, but Albee goes much deeper than that, leaving you questioning what you have just seen and what the heck was going on.

This kind of play is exactly what the Royal Exchange is best suited for, with the theatre-in-the-round set-up making the action on stage so much more intense than if it was up on a formal stage at the front of the room. The audience feel like embarassed onlookers at the party, watching as these couples tear each other apart, and at times it really is uncomfortable, with director Sarah Frankcom rarely letting the pace or intensity drop, particularly in the two hour opening act.

The action starts at 2am as George (Philip Brotherton) and Martha (Barbara Marten) arrive home from a faculty party hosted by her father, the head of the university and George's boss. He is disgruntled to learn that despite the time, they have guests coming over shortly. And so begins the bickering. This is where the play really shines, with Brotherton and Marten firing off crackling lines at each other, with Martha frequently snapping put-downs at him: "I hope that was an empty bottle, George! You can't afford to waste good liquor, not on YOUR salary!"

Nick (Michael Hegley) and Honey (Joanne Froggett) initially seem like a picture-perfect couple compared to their clapped-out hosts; young, ambitious and so in love. But of course, this is a play about truth and illusion, and while they might be young and very ambitious (particularly Nick), there's not much love between them. As the initial formalities wear away under the weight of bitterness and booze, George, Martha and Nick swap hilariously biting lines while an increasingly tired and emotional Honey is even more amusing as she completely misinterprets everything.

The first act is very, very long, which means that the second act feels a little bit rushed as the play reaches its slightly confusing climax. The realities of George and Martha's marriage and the illusions and petty games that prop it up are all made clear as they seem to disintegrate in front of us, while the other two face some harsh truths about their relationship. When George brutally ends one of the biggest fantasies of his marriage, it seems to destroy his wife, but there's still more than meets the eye going on.

All four of the actors are excellent, with Froggett exuding naivety and sweetness and eventually vulnerability as the lush Honey and Marten almost a polar opposite as a fire-breathing dragon who dominates her downtrodden husband, while Hegley does well as his initial southern charm slips to reveal his true intentions and character. However, the star of the show is Brotherton, who captures the two sides of George's personality perfectly, biting and sharp when on the attack, and weak and pathetic when being attacked. He dominates proceedings, but is more than ably supported by a great cast performing a great play that is still one of the most intense things you'll see on stage.