Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

#1

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/22/12 at 2:03pm

“It’s very scary to a little kid,” says Broadway cast member Tracy Letts, better-known as a playwright (“August: Osage County", "Superior Donuts"," Bug"), who first read Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" when he was about 12, and was shocked to think “'oh this is how adults behave.'
Letts added: “My adult life has only confirmed to me that this IS how adults behave.”
Anybody else have this reaction?
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

#2

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/22/12 at 6:11pm

BEAN BAG!

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"Through The Sacrifice You Made, We Can't Believe The Price You Paid..For Love!"

#3

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/22/12 at 6:16pm

When I was 12 none of the adults I knew drank, smoked or swore, so, no, I didn't assume WHO'S AFRAID was typical.

#4

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/22/12 at 8:17pm

The first time I tried reading it (16), it gave me a headache. The second time was much more satisfying. Curiously enough, my current copy (according to the stamp) previously belonged to a mental institution.

#5

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/22/12 at 9:34pm

^^^^^Ha! I should have added that now that I am older and experienced enough to realize it isn't just a play about crazy alcoholics who need to take Jesus as their Lord and Savior, I very much like and admire the play.

#6

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:13pm

The subtext of the play is how we actually behave. The subtext of our real lives is the text of the play.

#7

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:21pm

Well put, henrik! I don't believe I've ever heard the play described that way before.

#8

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:25pm

That is well put. I admit, I sorta do see the play now as a reflection (of course, grossly exagerated) of how adults behave. As a kid I sorta had a fantasy that once I grew up, suddenly people would make sense, and everything that confused me in the way kids would interact and behave would sorta straighten out as they matured. I think it's been one of the most disheartening things in life to realize how little of that is true.

#9

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:26pm

I remember seeing a matinee of the original production with Elaine Stritch as Martha. I was a kid and my parents heard that the show wasn't appropriate for a late teen (Remember, this was in the 60's). I told them that it was based on the old Disney song and they believed it.

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"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#10

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:27pm

"The subtext of the play is how we actually behave. The subtext of our real lives is the text of the play."

Not "we," not "our."

#11

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:35pm

I see the mail just arrived from Neverland.

No, After Eight, my husband and I do not treat guests as George and Martha do; we don't even treat each other as George and Martha do. We also don't treat our mothers as Hamlet treats his.

But we can recognize the humanity in such characters and admit we have more in common with them than we usually acknowledge.

Updated On: 9/23/12 at 07:35 PM

#12

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:45pm

>snap!<

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"You, sir, are a moron." (PlayItAgain)

#13

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 8:05pm

"we have more in common with them than we usually acknowledge. "

You perhaps, not "we."

The language of the play crackles. As an accurate depiction of human conduct...

No.

#14

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 8:39pm

The "we" in my post was my husband and I, After Eight. I was saying we could see ourselves in some remote way in George and Martha, even though on the whole we treat one another (and our guests) with affection and respect.

I didn't presume to speak for you; you were quite clear on that score.

#15

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 9:08pm

After Eight lives his personal life more like Sue and Jimmy do in "No, No, Nanette".

#16

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 9:19pm

^^^^Well, I have to admit I loved Jack Gilford and Ruby Keeler. If only After Eight had sent me their address earlier! (As it happens, I now live near Keeler's last home. She didn't wait for me.)

#17

Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Posted: 9/23/12 at 11:00pm

Not sure if this is the right place to post this BUT I got an OBC Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Playbill today for $3. Favorite purchase of the day.