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Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Now on stage at the Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front Street East, Toronto

Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured l-r: Martha Burns (back to camera), Rylan Wilkie, Hailey Gillis (at door), Paul Gross

Joe Szekeres

“A five-star VOICE CHOICE, must-see show. Searing performances that unveil truth, illusion, loyalty, and love. Attention-grabbing right from the curtain opener, the audience cannot help but come along for an unforgettable ride, watching four people become viscerally unwrapped at the seams. This ‘Virginia Woolf’ is another reason we must continue going to the theatre. It’s brutally raw, viciously funny, and truthfully vulnerable.”

It's very late on Saturday night, verging into the wee hours of Sunday morning on a college campus. Associate History professor George (Paul Gross) and his wife Martha (Martha Burns) arrive home after a university faculty soirée. It’s apparent the two of them have been drinking at the party. Martha is the daughter of the president of the college where George teaches.

Martha reveals to George that she has invited a young couple from the soirée over for drinks to get to know them better. They are Nick (Rylan Wilkie at this performance for the indisposed Mac Fyfe) and his wife, Honey (Hailey Gillis). Nick teaches in the Biology Department.

What follows in playwright Edward Albee’s character-driven script of booze-induced, alcoholic-binged debauchery of late-night/early-morning hours is nasty, oh so nasty at times. There are taunting verbal assaults, insinuating accusations and toxic games, which become startling and visceral revelations of the hard truth for all four players.

For that reason, this Canadian Stage production is truly an actor’s dream. These four are among Canada’s finest, and what a delight it is to watch them dive headfirst and confront the intricacies in Albee’s script.
There is a closed curtain during the pre-show. ‘Woolf’ is a theatre icon people will never forget, so it’s good to keep audiences guessing what has been created visually.

When that curtain finally opened… my mouth dropped from what I first saw on the Bluma Appel stage.

Julie Fox's impressive set design beautifully captures the overwhelming emptiness within George and Martha's home. Parts of the wallpaper are peeling, and the main floor appears to need renovation. The staircase at the back of the stage leads to an unseen second floor, creating a surreal effect. Additionally, stage left features a fully reflective mirrored wall, an interesting choice that becomes quite effective as the story unfolds. The wall constantly reminds George and Martha that they must always appear a certain way to the outside world.

As the play begins, the sofa and chairs have their backs towards the audience as Martha and George enter the home. It’s an interesting visual for the audience to start watching the action unfold until a turntable moves everything into place. And when it does, a new perspective opens yet again to see this story anew.
As always, Kimberly Purtell’s lighting and Thomas Ryder Payne’s sound designs significantly enhance the director's visionary and surreal details. Julie Fox’s costume designs also stand out, particularly the outfits that Martha Burns changes throughout the story.

Impeccably directed by Canadian Stage Artistic Director Brendan Healey, who grounds the production in exploring the nuances of human nature and its imperfections, the story never feels rushed despite its three-hour-plus runtime. Healey invites the audience to see what lies beneath these four characters once their veneers are stripped away, aided by the overwhelming presence of alcohol with little restraint.

Martha Burns, Paul Gross (real-life married couple), Hailey Gillis, and Rylan Wilkie remain remarkable. Watching the four navigate the stage, wielding and seizing control of the moment through threats, taunts, and bullying, is pure artistic heaven.

Gross naturally embodies a visibly fatigued George. His ill-fitting, baggy trousers, messy shirt, and oversized sweater effectively reflect his fed-up demeanour, especially when George (for the umpteenth time) watches Martha change into tight-fitting slacks whenever a younger man is around. Burns figuratively sets the stage ablaze in her performance as Martha. The passion of anger, love, and sensuality never wanes as Burns adeptly finds those moments to reignite the embers that need to be rekindled to regain the scene's momentum once more.

Hailey Gillis brings a sweet and unassuming charm to her role as Honey, Nick’s young wife, who struggles to handle her liquor while trying to keep up with others during the ongoing drinking binges. Although Honey may not have as many confrontational moments as the other three, Gillis brings a sincere authenticity to the character. Her body language and eyes reveal that Honey is uncomfortable the first time George and Martha start to argue. Honey’s awkwardness while drinking each time things get loud deepens my pity for a young woman who likely had no idea what lay beyond when she accepted the invitation to pay a late visit and continue drinking.

An intense round of applause for Rylan Wilkie, who is taking over the role of Nick from Mac Fyfe until he returns from an undisclosed illness. At the top of the show, Brendan Healey announces that Wilkie is nearly off-book but will have it in hand to ensure he doesn’t dry on stage. Wilkie is the consummate performer. Although he has the script in hand, it doesn’t detract from his ability to remain fully engaged in the moment. The synergetic chemistry between him and Burns’ Martha sizzles with enthusiastic obsession.

Healey and Can Stage Executive Director Monica Esteves describe ‘Virginia Woolf’ as a masterwork of searing honesty and complex relationships—a testament to the play’s relevance and power. While this is an accurate assessment, Albee’s work remains uncomfortable to watch due to its confrontational nature, even though my guest and I were seated in the middle of the auditorium.

‘Virginia Woolf’ is uncomfortable in its confrontations, yet worth a visit to this VOICE CHOICE production.

Running time: approximately three hours and 30 minutes.

‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ runs until February 16 at the Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front Street East, Toronto. For tickets: canadianstage.com or call (416) 368-3110.

CANADIAN STAGE presents
‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ by Edward Albee

Directed by Brendan Healey
Set and Costume Designer: Julie Fox
Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell
Sound Designer: Thomas Ryder Payne
Stage Manager: Tamara Protic

Performers: Martha Burns, Hailey Gillis, Paul Gross, Rylan Wilkie

Marble Surface

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