Who's Afraid of Edward Albee's Foresight? 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' by Edward Albee. State Theatre Company [review]

Abstract

Poor Virginia Woolf. She is almost as famous for belonging in the quirky title of Edward Albee’s play as she is for To The Lighthouse and Mrs Dalloway . A whole generation has wondered how she could be so scary, when, in fact, she has been commandeered only for the sake of a literary joke. Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf ? is a spell to ward off the unknown and the all-too familiar. And Albee’s celebrated play, about two couples locked in a marathon game of truth or dare, examines both the comfort of illusions and the fragility of reality. With this strong production State Theatre reminds us it’s not Virginia Woolf we should be afraid of, but the prophetic insights of Edward Albee.