George and Martha are pulling no punches, and their unsuspecting guests are caught in the middle of the fight. Backyard Renaissance Theatre’s production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, co-directed by Coleman Ray Clark and Francis Gercke, showcases a powerhouse of performances in the three-hour dramatic classic.
After a university faculty party, Martha (Jessica John) invites a younger couple, Nick (Drew Bradford) and Honey (Megan Carmitchel), over for a drink. Her husband, George (Francis Gercke), isn’t in the mood to entertain, and given the insults they’ve exchanged, it’s hard to say whether they should entertain at all. A broken marriage, a crumbling facade, and resentment on all fronts unfold into the early hours of the morning.
Spearheading the production is John’s dominating performance as Martha. She owns the character and, eventually, owns everyone else on the stage as well. As George, Gercke is both browbeaten and seething, leading to effective moments of meek sadness and outbursts of anger. Bradford as Nick and Carmitchel as Honey put on a good front as the happy married couple, but they both fall apart into a convincing drunken disarray of tears and frustration.
Edward Albee’s 1962 play was selected for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but was ultimately overruled by the award’s advisory board for its profanity and sexual themes, leading to no winner in 1963. As the years have passed, its content has become less shocking, but the play is still difficult to get through due to its length and constant characters’ arguing. The shouting really starts to wear you down. However, the sharp, witty dialogue is engaging enough to keep you coming back for more.
Set Designer Chad Ryan and Prop Designer Jeffrey Neitzel built a convincingly lived-in home for George and Martha, so full of stuff that it feels claustrophobic, lending itself to the tightly wound content. Chris Rynne’s lighting design would float in and out of the surreal, creating depth in the show’s more dramatic moments, alongside Evan Hart Marsh’s musical compositions. Everything came together wonderfully to make a solid foundation.
Some plays are written to challenge its audiences, and the production of “Virginia Woolf” at Backyard Renaissance pulled it off impressively.
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” plays until March 26 at the Tenth Avenue Arts Center.
(Photo credit: Michael Mackie)
To See or Not To See 
Leave a comment