Twisted mind games at play in this deliciously dark tour de force of what makes and breaks relationships.
In a pressure cooker environment like Singapore, it can become incredibly stressful to live up to the ideals set out by society, whether it’s making it in one’s career, or to get married, have children and construct the image of a perfect happy family. But when the facade falls apart and the obstacles prove too much, we might just have to confess – we’re all a little more broken than we care to admit.
American playwright Edward Albee’s 1962 play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? provides the perfect nihilistic response to such absurd expectations, as the theatrical tour de force sees the solution as escapism to cope with the harsh realities of life. In Pangdemonium’s new production, directed by Timothy Koh, the play gets a faithful adaptation at the KC Arts Centre, as local audiences watched middle-aged couple George and Martha (Daniel Jenkins and Pinky Amador) square off against youthful counterparts Nick and Honey (Salif Hardie and Shu Yi Ching) in a house party from hell, filled with cruel mind games, terrible secrets, and most of all, seemingly endless drinks that only add fuel to the raging fire.
Taking place in George and Martha’s house in a university town, Eucien Chia’s cabin-like set is completely made of wood, but without an actual roof, the walls instead begin to resemble hollow segments of a model house, with sparse, shelf-like structures lining them that similarly seem to echo how bereft of meaning, love or life this household is. It is merely the facade of a perfect house, enough furnishing and books on one side to show it is occupied by professors, but one that is practical more so than done out of affection put into it. There are plenty of details to create an uncanny atmosphere: when the door is open, there is greenery, tall grass that perhaps hides this home away from the general public, an aberration as to what is normally accepted. Meanwhile, the right side of the house also sees green creeper-type plants beginning to overtake the wall, and you begin to wonder if the inhabitants will also become completely consumed, much like what George and Martha are about to do to Nick and Honey.
Albee’s dialogue-heavy script is incredibly demanding on its actors, and requires just the right pacing and rhythm to set the wheels in motion, and get audience members completely caught up in the tornado about to be unleashed. To that end, director Timothy Koh has orchestrated the perfect storm in his cast, who sink their teeth into the text with gusto. Right from the beginning, Martha and George are already established as a couple with their longstanding sets of rituals and routines – exhausted after returning from a party, though not quite ready to call it a night, with guests expected. There is grumbling, and slight annoyances, arguing even over who should open the door, exactly what you’d expect from years of marriage, and establishes the back and forth shots that will be fired throughout the play, as Nick and Honey show up at their doorstep.
It is here that the games begin, and like predators that have found their prey, there is an immediate sense of unease in the air when the younger couple step into the house, with the older couple making their annoyance known, poking and prodding with their words. George and Martha are in a space where they are comfortable and dominant, knowing exactly how this will play out. Leonard Augustine Choo’s costume designs complement each of the four characters – Salif dons a neat blue suit, reflecting how new he is to his job as a teacher, while Shu Yi wears a lilac dress with pearl necklace, suggesting she comes from money and already hinting at the hidden class differences between them. As for Daniel, in his more relaxed, Oxford style suit, it too shows how much more experience and money George has over Nick, while Pink changes into Martha’s special dress one might wear to church on a Sunday, sharp in its colours and emanating authority over Shu Yi’s calm lilac one, clearly chosen to be the centre of attention.
What works so well for this production is the build-up of tension over the course of the play, hooking you in and never letting go once it begins. The drinking begins in earnest, perhaps out of good will and perhaps being the first time they’re all meeting, to calm one’s nerves, allowing the words to begin flowing. The fire is stoked, and antagonism rises between Martha and George, overflowing and spreading to not so innocent passing commentary on Honey and Nick. With their guard up and minds addled by alcohol, it becomes an exercise in hairline triggers, every little action potentially causing an explosion, yet somehow, we continue to remain in the dark, the suspense raised higher and higher as the plot unfolds with each scene. Martha and George seem to take turns trying to outdo each other with increasingly outrageous dialogue and actions – a rifle that, while a prop, still shocks the tipsy room, and even us in the audience to life, or even treating the same rifle later on as a phallic object, Martha constantly stroking it as she flirts with Nick.
In essence, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? feels like a car crash you can’t look away from, as we cautiously await everything to reach boiling point. This is a play that requires finesse, proper planning and enough rehearsals to conquer all three acts, with careful pacing and maintaining the energy and tension. The chemistry between all four actors is impeccable, with the audience fully on Nick and Honey’s side as we watch them suffer at the hands of the older couple. There is an intensity to their interactions and stress felt by the entire theatre, as Honey continues to drink till she drifts away, while Martha takes advantage of the situation to continue sharing intimate secrets with Nick, angering George to the point he slams a bottle on the ground to show his frustration.
What’s perhaps even more incredible is how the tables keep turning – Nick and Honey’s ‘perfect’ marriage comes undone as Nick begins admitting the circumstances under which they were wed, while George and Martha continue to push and jack up the pressure in the room. The drinking seems dangerously endless, and there seems to be an insatiable taste for drama as both the arguing and flirting intensifies, boundaries are crossed, and no one is entirely sure about where the alliances are anymore, or if there is anything at all to be gained from playing these cruel games. At times it feels as if there is some kind of sorcery at play, as we fully immerse ourselves into this rapid fire game of hurt and pain, never sure who to trust or what anyone’s intent is.
All four actors are fully immersed in their roles, and you put so much belief in their performance, you trust in their entire being. Honing his skills both in theatre and on television in recent years, including Sunny Side Up, Mediacorp’s longest running show, Salif has matured as an actor and handles Nick with aplomb, bringing a brashness and confidence to his initial portrayal, winsome and dashing. But as much of a fight as Salif puts up, his youthful energy is ultimately spent by the end of the play, almost afraid as he realises how unhinged this household is. Shu Yi, while not having as many lines, is given a rare opportunity to focus all her energy into the physical demands of the play, and fully takes on the opportunity to shine with her transformation from innocent, sweet girl who moves with grace to a complete mess after regaining consciousness, reduced from a picture perfect wife to someone who can’t even take care of herself, her emotions and physicality conveying exactly what is going through Honey’s mind. This is a couple who were in too deep, with no idea what they were in for, and there is almost a cruel joy for us to watch their relationship, confidence and psyches completely break down.
But this is a play that truly capitalises on the actors playing the older couple, with both Pinky and Daniel showing off their acting prowess at their peak, completely in control of the stage and our attention. Pinky is a commanding force throughout the play, shuttling between vamp and drama queen, always the one squarely in manipulating both the men in her life, clearly in charge with the way she plays them both. And as George, Daniel is constantly wresting for control of the game from Martha, and attempting to keep his own emotions in check, his spurts of rage terrifying to witness, almost unpredictable in his reactions, but as an actor, knows exactly what he has to do to keep the play flowing and the energy taut. While Martha is often seen as the prime role within the play, Daniel’s George is capable of rivaling Pinky’s already formidable performance, where he often feels like he is playing two completely different characters when George has his extreme mood swings, twisting in and out of them in the blink of an eye to further unnerve us. There are plenty of opportunities where Daniel steals the scenes he’s in, akin to a force of nature with the way he puts all his energy into the explosive nature of George’s character, while also capturing the quieter nuances and reactions that make him just as terrifying as Martha, at times even more so – a match made in heaven, or perhaps hell in this case.
By the end, we hear birds chirping to mark morning’s arrival, the younger couple drained and shooed out of the house after the older couple, almost vampire-like, have gotten their kicks out of toying with them and sucking the life out of them the entire night. There is a sudden moment of calm as George and Martha finally retire, choosing to rest in the day. They collapse on the floor, and the game is finally over. Everything has been hung out, and they are exhausted. What is the point of these games, no one can truly be sure, but if anything, this is a couple that is locked in a toxic relationship, somehow very much in love with each other even after so long, and constantly finding ways to keep the spark going, no matter how much it destroys the lives of others, perhaps a form of escapism to distract them from their own misery.
With this third mainstage production with Pangdemonium under his belt, Timothy Koh has now clearly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the local theatre scene, a director capable of identifying a play’s subtle nuances and rhythm, lead his cast towards developing strong chemistry and produce dynamite drama, and ultimately, produce a show that will keep you riveted. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? remains a classic of theatre for good reason, still relevant even today, and as pessimistic as it may be, is a sobering reminder that there are times that unless we plan on hurting each other in an unending cycle of abuse, then perhaps, it is better to be honest with each other, and most of all ourselves, if we want to truly be happy.
Photo Credit: CRISPI
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? plays from 7th to 23rd June 2024 at KC Arts Centre. Tickets available here
Production Credits:
| Director Timothy Koh Playwright Edward Albee Cast Pinky Amador, Daniel Jenkins, Salif Hardie, Ching Shu Yi Set Designer Eucien Chia Lighting Designer James Tan Sound Designer Jing Ng Costume Designer Leonard Augustine Choo Hair Designer Leong Lim Vocal Coach Petrina Kow |
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