Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

by Edward Albee 
PANGDEMONIUM
KC Arts Centre, Singapore

Words are weapons in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. They tease, they torment and they ultimately destroy. It’s a fact that director Timothy Koh intimately understands in this blistering Pangdemonium production that pierces through the skin, muscle and bone to get to the very marrow of Edward Albee’s classic 1962 play.

George (Daniel Jenkins) and Martha (Pinky Amador) are a middle-aged couple who have just returned home from a university party, tired and tipsy. He’s an associate professor of history, she’s the daughter of the university president. Martha announces that she has invited a younger couple she met that night for drinks – new-to-town biology professor Nick (Salif Hardie) and his wife Honey (Ching Shu Yi). Over the course of an alcohol-fuelled evening, the state of their respective marriages is mercilessly laid bare.

At its heart, this is a play about illusion, emptiness and the cruel games we play on those whom we love. And for seasoned players like George and Martha, the addition of company only increases the stakes. Martha mocks George for his lack of ambition and looks, calling him a “flop” due to his stagnant academic career that has proven to be a disappointment to both her and her father. He in turn retaliates by robbing her of the lie she so elaborately concocts to mask the reality of their situation. There is a lot of bitterness and pain here, especially in the devastating final moments, but at the end of the day, we cannot help but feel that this couple is inexplicably drawn to each other, warts and all. 

Stretching to nearly three hours with two intervals, Virginia Woolf is a challenging play to watch, let alone perform. Koh tackles this theatrical juggernaut with sensitivity, helming a production that powers confidently through the play’s soaring monologues and ragged silences, coaxing rich, nuanced performances from his cast. Small moments of comedy leaven the tension while snappy pacing keeps us engrossed in the venomous power play. 

Veteran actors Amador and Jenkins effortlessly command the stage as the older couple, the former’s anguished cries and stubborn head-shaking matched by the latter’s uncanny ability to distil years of resentment into a single, lacerating line. There is good support from Salif and Ching as the younger couple unwittingly dragged into the fray. As the cracks in their seemingly happy relationship begin to surface, one wonders if they will one day turn into another version of the toxic George and Martha.                                     

  

Photo Credit: Crispian Chan

Eucien Chia’s set, with its organised chaos of books and exposed rafters encroached by moss, cleverly alludes to the decay and sterility of these marriages. The production is augmented by James Tan’s sensitive lighting that turns the domestic setting into a raging maelstrom of emotion and Leonard Augustine Choo’s handsome, crisply tailored costumes that subtly convey shades of each character. Jing Ng’s ambient soundscapes, particularly during tense moments, however strike one as a little heavy-handed.

Virginia Woolf may have been written six decades ago but crackles with freshness and emotional truth, acting as a cautionary tale against the dangers of letting secrets fester in a relationship and the importance of clear and open communication. This assured production reminds us that when the battle of words is over, nobody is spared in the bloodbath.

The Crystalwords score: 4/5