‘Toxic’ may be one of the many buzzwords of this generation, but it’s certainly not a new concept, one that can apply to relationships and people dating back decades and beyond. One of the most significant examples of that in theatre is none other than Edward Albee’s 1962 play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which examines the interactions and exchanges between two couples over a single, drunken evening.
Staged by local theatre company Pangdemonium this June, this production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is set to be directed by Timothy Koh (Muswell Hill, Doubt: A Parable), and sees young couple Honey and Nick ensnared in an unexpectedly raucous drinking session with older couple George and Martha, in their home. What begins as a simple get to know each other mutates into a scathing, abusive session where words become daggers, and the truth is wrung out, in an exceptionally dark comedy. Starring Filipina stage and screen legend Pinky Amador in the role of Martha, the cast is completed with Daniel Jenkins as George, Salif Hardie as Nick, and Ching Shu Yi as Honey.
It is with good reason that Pangdemonium was intent on getting Pinky as their Martha – a part of the original West End cast of Miss Saigon, and active since the ’80s, Pinky has multiple acting accolades for her work both in theatre and television, and an icon in the Philippines. “Adrian (Pang, co-artistic director of Pangdemonium) first got in touch with me back in 2019 because they wanted me in their production of The Glass Menagerie. But with the pandemic, there was so much uncertainty and too much risk with the constantly changing rules that it eventually fell through,” says Pinky, on her involvement with Pangdemonium. “Several years later though, they contacted me again, this time asking if I’d be interested in taking on the role of Martha. My own aunt, Zeneida “Bibot” Amador, who was the founder of Repertory Philippines, had once played the role, and I’d known it from watching the film and the Imelda Staunton version, and it was absolutely a role I was interested in taking on, so I sent in an audition tape, and they decided that I would be their Martha!”
“Since The Glass Menagerie, Pinky has always been on our radar, and even after that fell through, we knew we wanted to call her in if something else ever came up again that was right for her, and when we were planning programming for this year, I jumped at the chance to do this play,” says Timothy. “I first encountered Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? during my university days, and it immediately went onto my bucket list for shows I wanted to direct one day. But I also knew that I needed a certain calibre before doing it, and needed more experience under my belt – I even considered doing it as my graduation piece, but the age difference is so central, that it wouldn’t work having twenty-something year old actors playing George and Martha. But now, I finally feel ready to tackle it and put it all together, and excited to finally present it.”
As ready as Timothy feels to take on this monumental task, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is by no means any easier to stage than when it first premiered, clocking in at three hours long and primarily focused on the rhythm and flood of words that come out on each character’s mouths. “I actually used to listen to the original Broadway recording before going to sleep – and you realise that there’s a very specific pacing that goes into the delivery of the lines, and as a director, it’s almost like you’re a conductor of a symphony, where missing a single beat or waiting half a second longer causes the entire show to fall apart,” says Timothy. “Each time we step into the rehearsal room, it’s a lot of work to build up to that rhythm again and keep it going all the way, and so much is reliant on the performers to maintain that energy and hit all the notes.”
“And Tim does that very well – he’s so exacting in his approach and has a very good overall look at the big picture, and able to really conduct all the little idiosyncrasies and peaks and chops and escalations and explosions. I think there’s that knowledge of knowing how to bring everyone to that same wavelength, and from his own experience, more familiarity with seeing people like these in the States, and bringing all that to the way he directs us, and finding that relatable, slice of life aspect and universality of the relationships and love and hate and desire present in Albee’s script,” adds Pinky.
Despite its age, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has remained a mainstay of theatre for good reason – there’s something deliciously dark about watching these couples spiral and unravel their deepest secrets, playing cruel games with each other and become enthralled in the madness that consumes them all, something that has no expiry date and can be seen in plenty of families and relationships even today. “You see examples of these relationships in the Philippines all the time,” says Pinky. “At any reunion, whether at a wedding or a funeral or Christmas, someone will start a squabble, and people will refuse to come see the family, and the drama will erupt. Yet there’s a strange kind of love that persists amidst all that, and under Tim’s interpretation, George and Martha do indeed still love each other in spite of the histrionics and venom spat. It’s a play that’s completely mental, and I think we’ll recognise these dysfunctional characters in our own lives.”
“To me, there’s something exciting about George and Martha’s toxic co-dependence – you expect an older couple to be stable, even to the extent that their relationship has become stale or boring, but they’ve found a way to keep it exciting and dramatic,” says Tim. “It’s actually the younger couple who’re living a lie, seemingly perfect for each other on paper but aren’t, and despite not being married as long, are already seeing it start to fray. It’s a play that makes you think about how some relationships are constructed, where hate is always lurking around love, and how for some people – there simply isn’t any particular passion to sustain a relationship.”
With such a high tension play, the actors expend plenty of energy with each run, and often wind up exhausted, while also emotionally drained. How then do they ensure everyone stays sane and not entirely burnt out? “We actually hired an intimacy coordinator for this production, which is something I’m not used to at all,” says Pinky. “It was surprising to me – I’ve done love scenes and taken off my clothes, and I kept thinking, this show isn’t that explicit, why would we need one? We spent hours going through one-on-ones with us, with the scenes where we touch and seduce each other, and figured out where our individual boundaries were, where it’s ok to touch or not touch, what is the extent of a kiss we’re allowed to give, and about establishing those lines of consent, ensuring we’re all on the same page.”
“35 years ago when I was doing Miss Saigon, the audience couldn’t really see what we were doing, and to me it was always just acting, never an act of violation. Someone once told me that being a whore onstage must be psychologically freeing – and I only recently understood what that meant, where the theatre space can be a safe space for you to explore your own body and its sexuality, where there is no malice as long as everyone doesn’t have malice or ill-intentions, and gives us this freedom to play creatively,” she adds. “So even in this play, Tim knows to cut things if they hurt the first time around, and we’re all mature professionals who are able to discuss and talk about what’s possible and what’s off-limits, so we’re fine.”
On the value of theatre even today, both Pinky and Timothy remain dedicated to the craft and reiterate how it remains their first love, even with all the challenges in place. “For film and television, it’s more short-term memory of television where you memorise your line once, shoot the scene, and move on from there,” says Pinky. “On the other hand, we know theatre can be difficult. You have to make sure you get roles by maintaining good relations, and getting the funding to put up a show can be so hard, but I respect the medium because it really trains you to maintain so much discipline and take care of yourself to make sure you’re at your best every night. I remember how when I was with Repertory Philippines, we’d do so many shows in one year, and it was exhausting, even for a 19 year old. But I was trained to do so much, from lead roles to stage crew, to ticketing and swing, dancing and hosting.”
“And most of all, theatre is still fun for me. You just know when the audience is in the palm of your hand, and when you’re onstage, you are the one in control, and the only one who can save yourself in front of a live audience. You are the one who creates a journey for the audience as they stay with you, in real time, throughout the entire show,” she adds. “I’ve been doing television and film some time now, but as far as it goes for comebacks, this role of Martha is the role of a lifetime, and it’s an active choice I’m making to come back, and one that feeds my soul.”
“I think when planning a programme, Pangdemonium is very intentional about it, where our primary goal has been to build and grow new generations of audiences. Take Into The Woods last year, which was huge and pulled in people who may not usually come for shows. It pulls in a very different kind of crowd, and from there, spills into the next show Falling, which they might watch because they buy a Season Ticket for 2024, or want priority booking for Dear Evan Hansen later this year. Then as a result of that, they end up watching Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and allows us to take a chance on such plays, and grow the audience taste and capacity for watching shows as well,” says Tim.
And as for whether the audience will enjoy the production? Tim is 100% confident of it. “At the end of the day, when I’m in the director’s chair, I’m always asking myself – am I enjoying what I’m seeing? Am I having fun? Because that would be what the audience feels as well, and this is a show that has exhaustion built into it, from watching these people go at each other, and demands your full engagement,” concludes Timothy. “This isn’t a show you just go into and laugh – sure, there are moments that are funny and you might even laugh, but coming into the theatre, it’s a commitment to the show. But I believe that we shouldn’t be afraid of challenging local audiences with that, because their taste can and is growing more sophisticated, and will be rewarded when they come see it.”
“This is now my third mainstage production I’m doing for Pangdemonium, and I’m a lot more confident now, and really glad that I’m still working in non-profit theatre, with the aim of growing the local audience. We’re building that curiosity, and have enough variety to keep refreshing and growing the audience, expanding their palate and feeding them to really develop our theatre consuming audience. Even if they don’t like it, that’s ok, because they were challenged, and it’s a cycle where we challenge each other – for them to expect more of us, and for us to push them to see what they can handle to really build the arts scene.”
Photo Credit: CRISPI
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? plays from 7th to 23rd June 2024 at KC Arts Centre. Tickets available here
Bakchormeeboy 