Deserving of a Pulitzer Prize, yet denied one when the jury’s recommendation was overruled because of the occasional, but entirely appropriate, profanity in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Edward Albee’s marathon three-act, three-hour look at marriage and the illusions we cling to in our daily lives.
First performed in 1962, and adapted into an Oscar-winning film four years later, the scorching drama has lost none of its heat nor its dramatic impact over time, as a revival that caps the inaugural season at the Maltz Jupiter’s intimate Island Theatre demonstrates. Although known primarily for producing musicals, it is no illusion that the Maltz can deliver on a work like Albee’s towering masterwork when it sets its sights on the challenge.
Spanning a period from 2 a.m. to dawn, following a faculty party at ivy-covered New Carthage college, the action takes place at the home of George, an associate professor of history, and his longtime spouse Martha, the daughter of the school’s president. Suffice it to say they are the most famous George and Martha since the Washingtons.
He is ready for bed, but she has invited a couple new to the college community, biology instructor Nick and his mousy wife Honey, over for a nightcap. From their opening banter, it is clear that George and Martha enjoy verbal sparring, never so much as when they have a new audience. What makes this night different, bringing out their venom and claws, is Martha breaking their long agreed-upon rule by telling Honey about their grown son. So an irrevocable line has been crossed and the gamesmanship begins, triggering a fight to the finish with pawns Nick and Honey as collateral damage.
Typically, Martha is played as a blowsy harridan and George is generally milquetoast until riled. At the Maltz, under the crafty direction of J. Barry Lewis, without changing a word on dialogue, the balance of power shifts. As Martha, Cate Damon can bray with the best of them, but she keeps the vitriol in check for much of the evening, offering a more multi-dimensional portrait of a sexual predator and a woman of frailty. She comes on strong in the third act, but notice how she assumes the fetal position on the sofa when George goes on the attack.
As George, wily Stephen Trovillion — a longtime fixture of City Theatre’s Summer Shorts — gives a full-throttle performance of extremes. He both mines the considerable humor in the role and emphasizes the character’s volatile streak of cruelty. When the two of them clash, the bloodletting is palpable, yet there is an undeniable feeling of love between them. A pugnacious love, but love nevertheless.
Michael Shenefelt’s Nick is a cunning opportunist, easily seduced by Martha, yet able to catch on to the games his hosts play, even if he is no match for them. Only Gracie Winchester — Shenefelt’s real-life spouse — disappoints. While the other cast members forge impressively original performances, her Honey seems to be channeling the line deliveries and whining of the film’s Sandy Dennis.
Mounting Virginia Woolf in the 198-seat Island Theatre may be a comment on the projected audience demand for the play, but the intimacy the space affords is an asset to the drama’s impact. And the Maltz has brought in its A-list designers for the production, notably scenic designer Anne Mundell, who serves up visual flair with a stage-wide array of books and tchotchkes. Also an asset are Kelly Wilkinson’s costumes, particularly the three outfits for Martha that chart her moods and the subtle changes of Kirk Bookman’s lighting that complement the evening’s action.
With Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the Maltz sets the bar high for the theatrical potential of its new Island space. The run is brief, but savvy theatergoers should spend a harrowing and wholly satisfying evening with George and Martha.
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, Maltz Jupiter Theatre Island Theatre, 1001 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter. Through Sunday, May 4. $65. Call 561-575-2223 or visit jupitertheatre.org.