Albee: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

by Stephen J. Bottoms

• ISBN13: 9780521635608
• ISBN10: 0521635608
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-10-02
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This is the first detailed study of one of the most important plays in contemporary theatre, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, by Edward Albee. In this fascinating look at the modern stage, Stephen Bottoms draws on original archival material and sources including an exclusive interview with Edward Albee. The Introduction considers the text of the play itself; part one provides a survey of the major productions from 1962 to 1999, with special attention paid to the premiere and the 1966 film version. Part two examines shifting critical responses to the play, demonstrating how changing times and attitudes have altered audience perception of performances. The third and final part offers a detailed examination of five different performances, comparing and contrasting directorial, design and acting approaches to demonstrate how our understanding of the play alters considerably according to its interpretation on stage.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	x
General preface	xiii
Acknowledgements	xv
Note on the text	xvi
Introduction: the play as performance	1	(14)
`Fun and Games' production strategies/production problems	15	(63)
`Walpurgisnacht': the cauldron of criticism	78	(40)
`The Exorcism': getting the worst out of your performers	118	(69)
Select chronology	187	(5)
List of references	192	(9)
Index	201