Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
A play about marriage, illusion, and bitter verbal warfare.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a three-act play by Edward Albee, first staged in October 1962. It examines the complexities of the marriage of middle-aged couple Martha and George, who draw a younger couple, Nick and Honey, into their bitter relationship after a faculty party. The play won the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play and the 1962–1963 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play, and is frequently revived on the modern stage.
- type
- Play
- playwright
- Edward Albee
- first_staged
- October 1962
- number_of_acts
- 3
- typical_performance_length
- Just under three hours, with two 10-minute intermissions
- awards
- 1963 Tony Award for Best Play; 1962–1963 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play
- film_adaptation
- 1966, directed by Mike Nichols, starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, George Segal, Sandy Dennis
Lore & Background
Martha and George repeatedly sing this version of the song throughout the play. The play's three acts are titled 'Fun and Games,' 'Walpurgisnacht,' and 'The Exorcism.' In Act One, after a faculty party, Martha reveals she has invited Nick and Honey over. George and Martha engage in scathing verbal abuse, and George fires a rifle that produces a Chinese parasol. In Act Two, Nick reveals Honey had a 'hysterical pregnancy'; George tells a story about a boy who accidentally killed his parents. Martha dances sensually with Nick and later goes upstairs with him. In Act Three, George announces that their son has died in a car crash, and it becomes clear the son was a fictional game because the couple is infertile. The play ends with George singing 'Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?' and Martha replying, 'I am, George. I am.'
Reader's Guide
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is significant for its unflinching examination of reality versus illusion in marriage and society. Edward Albee has said the title means 'who's afraid of living life without false illusions.' The play critiques societal expectations of the perfect American family, attacking false optimism and myopic confidence. The distinction between truth and illusion is deliberately unclear; the existence of the child, the murder of George's parents, and Honey's pregnancy may be illusions but seem real to the characters. The play demonstrates how characters must rid themselves of falsehood and return to the world in which they must live. Its legacy includes frequent revivals and a 1966 film adaptation. The play's themes of reality versus illusion and critique of societal expectations remain relevant, and its use of games—'Fun and Games,' 'Get the Guests,' 'Bringing Up Baby'—structures the unraveling of the characters' lives.
Did You Know?
- The play won both the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play and the 1962–1963 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play.
- The film adaptation was released in 1966, directed by Mike Nichols and starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
- The fictional son of George and Martha was a game because the couple discovered early in their marriage that they are infertile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
It is a three-act stage play written by Edward Albee that premiered in October 1962. The work is a searing examination of a married couple's toxic relationship, set over a single night with two younger guests.
Who wrote Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Edward Albee penned the play, which was first staged in October 1962.
What happens in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
After a faculty party, middle-aged Martha and George pull their younger neighbors Nick and Honey into a night of escalating insults, exposed secrets, and psychological warfare. The younger couple is drawn into the older pair's bitter marital conflict, and the evening spirals into a full reckoning with lies and unfulfilled ambitions.
How does Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? end?
George compels Martha to admit in front of the others that the child they had always claimed to be expecting was never real. The play closes with the two sitting together in the dark, having lost the comforting fictions that sustained them.
Why is Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? considered important?
The play took home the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play and the 1962–1963 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, cementing its place in American theater. It is frequently revived because its portrait of marital deception and self-deception still resonates with modern audiences.
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