"These self-imposed lies make their lives easier to bear. Fear of truly seeing themselves and their realities makes these pretenses so important. On this one night, they finally acknowledge the pain and illusions. Woolf is a difficult play for everyone involved. It is extremely painful to watch, like driving past the scene of an accident. The audience becomes silent, unwilling participants in the downfall of a domestic empire. Walking away from the theater you ask yourself, are my relationships built on illusions, too?"
"Woolf contains many lighthearted moments as well as unbearable truths hidden within an illusion created by its characters - which are then created by its actors. Allusion and illusion. These two words go hand-in-hand with Woolf. Throughout the play all four characters allude to the heartbreaking triumphs and tragedies that they hide from behind their facades: Martha a brash bulldozer amongst the sheep; mild-mannered George, an unprepossessing wallflower; Nick the epitome of upright moral fortitude; and Honey, the demure and submissive little wife."
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf juxtaposes truth and illusion through four characters who construct self-imposed lies to avoid painful realities. Martha, George, Nick and Honey each adopt facades—Martha brash, George withdrawn, Nick upright, Honey submissive—that mask heartbreak and tragedy. One night of confrontational interaction forces acknowledgement of those illusions. The play demands three hours of emotionally overwhelming, gladiatorial dialogue and exposes characters layer by layer until raw vulnerability emerges. The dialogue is rapid-fire, confrontational, and unflinching, permitting no taboo. The audience experiences uncomfortable complicity and leaves questioning the foundations of their own relationships.
Read at Oregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
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