“Castle Theatre Company ultimately has me laughing, gasping, moved and shocked…”
‘Truth or illusion, George; you don’t know the difference?’ ‘No, but we must carry on as though we did’. Whether it be the dichotomy of laughter and aggression, dancing and shouting or pretty dresses and red lights, Castle Theatre Company successfully capture the tension between illusion and reality in their interpretation of this demanding play, impressively commenting on social respectability, marriage, and alcoholism, through only four actors and one stage.
‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’, by Edward Albee, takes place in the living room of George and Martha, a middle-aged, quarrelsome couple, who are visited by the young couple, Nick and Honey, after a college faculty party. The chaos ensues from there as we follow an exposition of conflict, secrets, betrayals, frustrations and humiliations. Described by director Laurence Davidson as ‘a mammoth of a play’, the play just keeps delivering despite being such an ambitious task to take on. I must say I was anticipating it with high expectations, thanks to the excellent promotion of producer Olivia Higgins-Darby and assistant producer Eleanor Sumner (the stunning poster and vintage-style trailer say it all), and it does not disappoint.
Upon entering the theatre, director Laurence Davidson and assistant director Pearl D’Souza’s vision is clear, with retro on-theme house music such as The Beatles, ‘Moon River’ and ‘It’s My Party’, providing a perfectly curated playlist which establishes the 1960s setting, atmosphere, and themes of the play. I must also credit the set design of Olivia Higgins-Darby. The door up-centre stage is particularly effective for dramatic entrances and exits, and the positioning of a sofa centre-stage between an armchair and chaise longue allows for many possibilities of successful staging such as the varying proxemics of actors to symbolise heightening and easing tensions in relationships. Having the characters of Martha and George physically divided by the sofa in intense eye contact is a visual highlight. The use of set-dressing should also be appreciated, enhancing the 1960s ‘homely’ setting with vintage accessories, and the much important drinks cabinet. I must also point out the attention to detail with costuming and set, with wedding rings, realistic-looking beverages, and glasses made from sugar (thanks to Bethan Avery) to mention just a few.
The tech is simple yet effective, with occasional sound effects and lighting changes (thanks to tech consultant Aaron Lo). Starting as a simple whitewash, it is wonderfully unnerving to see scenes degenerate into an intense dark red, reflecting the breakdown of social decorum. There are points, however, where these drastic changes come a bit too suddenly, and whilst this is an interesting creative choice to reflect the changing moods of the play, I think these could sometimes be executed slightly more smoothly, and perhaps be complimented by more use of sound. Overall, though, the use of contrasting lighting is brilliantly disturbing, deteriorating the boundary between naturalism and non-naturalism.
Making a play that takes place in one room over three acts consistently engaging is a challenge, and whilst some moments feel slightly slow due to the nature of the script, both the directors and actors make an effort to counteract this admirably in keeping the performance dynamic, expressing a rollercoaster of emotions. The casting is simply incredible, with each actor flawlessly suited to their role. It is an understatement to say the stage is absolutely overflowing with talent.
Bethan Avery dominates the stage with her powerful depiction of Martha. Avery is a natural and skilful performer, using the utmost of her physicality, voice and facial expressions to shape an engaging character. Her stage presence is incredible. She manages to captivate the audience with her empowered and domineering character, yet simultaneously reveals the vulnerability beneath it in her sensitive portrayal of Martha’s inner struggles. It has to be said that that red dress and chaise longue are made for her.
Playing George, Jay Robinson is cleverly unnerving, perfectly embodying the middle-aged, discomforting, and forceful character. His intense voice is startling and excellently projected. George is an increasingly disruptive and frustrating force which Robinson personifies wonderfully. Both him and Avery capture their characters’ age with talent, particularly in Robinson’s use of gestures. This highly effectively contrasts the younger characters who are much more upright and brighter; I almost believed they were a much older and a much younger couple, which was enhanced by great costume choices.
Estelle Pollard-Cox’s energy as Honey is infectious. She effortlessly portrays Honey’s endearing, feminine naivety with her closed physicality and sweet tone of voice, proving a relieving contrast to the masculine role of George. Her facial expressions are remarkable in communicating Honey’s anxieties and vulnerabilities, and her frenzied, excitable dancing was a highlight.
Ollie Cochran must also be commended for his role as Nick. I particularly enjoyed seeing his character gradually evolve, showing a growing irritation and loss of order, again heightened by costume (which imitates the action in becoming less orderly) and changes in physicality and movement. He is yet another natural actor who is constantly active on stage in both action and reaction.
The song choice ‘Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)’ epitomises much of this play. Each actor (under excellent direction) gradually reveals the darkness beneath their decorum as we see an escalation of social conflict, telling of wider society. We see them becoming more and more intoxicated and with it more disorderly. Difficult scenes such as intimacy and fighting were choreographed very professionally (with credit to Kate Broekman), and whilst American accents weren’t always flawless, they were skilfully composed, reminiscent of upper-class 1960s entertainment.
Castle Theatre Company ultimately has me laughing, gasping, moved and shocked, only let down by the underwhelming lack of audience, leaving their witty dark humour and emotional intensity under-appreciated. This is a must-see performance, worth sparing a few hours to indulge in. ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ – well I think I am now, and I’m certainly not mad about it.
By Emily Sanderson
Photo Credits: Castle Theatre Company