Why do we watch peoples’ lives falling apart, on screens and on stage?
In a classic case of “misinterpreting a play’s title”, I sallied forth to watch what I assumed would be a violent 80’s slasher – imagining a scenario in which the killer (wearing a Virginia Woolf mask) murders anyone without an English Literature degree who describe the titular author’s stream-of-consciousness narratives as “pretentious”.
I assumed that “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?!” was the killer’s catchphrase – the last thing these poor souls heard before departing this mortal coil.
I was, you may be unsurprised to discover, wrong – it’s actually a play about inviting people round for a drink.
But did that make for a less-harrowing evening?
History professor George and his wife Martha (Adrian McDougall and Patrizia Petrassi) return to their apartment in the wee small hours of the morning after a college faculty do. But before George can head to bed…Martha reveals that she’s invited “young stud” Nick (George Hayter) and his wife Honey (Cara Benneyworth) over for a drink.
An odd enough move given that it’s already well past midnight…and one that takes a distinctly sinister turn when it becomes apparent that George and Martha routinely play abusive “games” with each other. Games in which the younger couple seem set to become unwitting participants.
To say much more would be to spoilt the plot – but suffice to say that all four characters reveal hidden sides to themselves; lechery abounds; and the line “swerved to avoid a porcupine” made me laugh before wondering whether it was OK to be laughing (as did many others).
A number of incredibly talented actors and actresses have inhabited these roles over the years (not least Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Patrick Stewart and Imelda Staunton). The whole cast within this impressive production do an incredible job of following in their footsteps. This is quite possibly some of the best acting I’ve seen on the Studio Theatre Company’s stage, if not on any stage – no mean feat when the cast are required to put on a convincing American accent.
Their efforts are all the more stunning because “Who’s Afraid…” is a legendarily long play, with the initial 60’s production running to almost 3 hours. Director Sophie Earle has done a commendable job of streamlining the script to two and a half hours, but that’s still an endurance test for any actor or actress – and to their credit, the cast’s enthusiasm does not wain at any point.
However, this is still an unrelentingly long play, made all the more punishing by the fact that the audience are essentially settling in to watch an evening-long abusive argument between two heavy drinkers.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s brilliantly acted, the set is fantastic and this is some of the most assured directing that I’ve ever seen. The set and lighting are also spot-on, perfectly capturing the feeling of being drunk and awake too close to dawn to make “going to bed” worthwhile.
And yes, there are layers to the script underneath this evening-long argument – the abuse takes different forms; there’s a large question-mark over how much of what we hear is true; and we are given opportunities to reflect on whether the chracters’ conduct is contextualised (though perhaps not justified) by their situations.
But (to this viewer at least) the same could be said of watching similar arguments play out between any couple you see having a drunken argument during a night out on the town – and your enjoyment of this play may depend to an extent on whether that’s the sort of thing you’d enjoy watching.
Which brings me back to the question I opened with: why do we like to watch bad things happening to people?
If you think of the “legendary” moments you’ve seen on stage or screen, ten to one a significant proportion of them are going to be the things that made you cry, cringe or gasp – tragic deaths; affairs; doomed relationships; people who’ve gone too far down the wrong path and have lost the opportunity to live the life they once dreamed of.
Perhaps this is how we safely explore those facets of our own lives; perhaps it gives us a vehicle to vent our emotions; perhaps we just like to see how other people tick.
Whether you attend the theatre for those reasons, or because you like to see solid acting bringing classic plays to life – “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” is wholeheartedly recommended (even if it isn’t an 80’s slasher movie, which a title that good should surely be adorning).
The play runs until the 17th June in The Studio Theatre at South Hill Park Arts Centre. Tickets are available at https://www.southhillpark.org.uk/whats-on/shows-events/. Production photos courtesy of LivelyWood Pictures.
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