Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#1
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?
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#2
Posted: 9/22/12 at 6:11pmBEAN BAG!
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#2
Posted: 9/22/12 at 6:16pmWhen I was 12 none of the adults I knew drank, smoked or swore, so, no, I didn't assume WHO'S AFRAID was typical.
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#3
Posted: 9/22/12 at 8:17pmThe 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.
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#4
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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#5
Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:13pmThe subtext of the play is how we actually behave. The subtext of our real lives is the text of the play.
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#6
Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:21pmWell put, henrik! I don't believe I've ever heard the play described that way before.
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#7
Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:25pmThat 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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#8
Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:26pmI 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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#9
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."
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#10
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/25/06
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#11
Posted: 9/23/12 at 7:45pm>snap!<
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#12
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.
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#13
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.
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#14
Posted: 9/23/12 at 9:08pmAfter Eight lives his personal life more like Sue and Jimmy do in "No, No, Nanette".
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#15
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.)
Featured Actor Joined: 4/12/09
Who's Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf#16
Posted: 9/23/12 at 11:00pmNot 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.
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