Edward Albee’s:Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

Nearly fifty years after it was first staged in 1962, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? is still a shocking play. By the end of this new staging, directed by Northern Stage artistic director Erica Whyman, the audience watch in stunned horror as Martha and George play out a cruel series of party games to their crushing finale.

John Hopkins is a convincing mixture of affronted self-righteousness and drunken licentiousness in the role of the young biologist Nick. Lorna Beckett plays his wife Honey with an irritating giggle that sets the audience’s teeth on edge. Honey’s improvised dance is a truly cringe-worthy moment and Beckett comes near to stealing the show with it.

Who’s Afraid is a mesmerising production. It’s testimony to the strengths of all four actors and the director that the audience is riveted throughout - initially laughing at each cruel sally but, as the acts progress, rubbernecking in horrified fascination as the games played by George and Martha take on increasingly dark dimensions.

Under the unafraid auspices of artistic director Daniel Evans, Sheffield Theatres’ forthcoming season concentrates on classic British and American drama and, if this co-production with Northern Stage sets the tone, they’ll be heavyweight shows.