Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Who's afraid of Edward Albee?, 29 Jun 2004
Albee's most renowned, and perhaps greatest play, "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?", is a work of seminal genius. Set in a single room over the course of one night, alcoholics, George and Martha, play host to young couple Nick and Honey. In due course, each character becomes increasingly intoxicated, and drop hints and information about their lives.Written in a colloquial manner, imitating authentic speech, Albee creates a beautifuly paced and written satire on American society. Originally rejected by many critics of the time as "vulgar", the play now stands as one of literay's finest works. This really is an essential read. Frankly, Albee has constructed a masterpiece, capable of deep meaning and satitre, yet at the same time criticing American society with sardonic bitterness.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Breath-Taking Masterpiece..., 30 Dec 2003
Wow. I never thought I could like a play so much. I had to read this for a class in college, so I admit that I didn't know what I was in for. I would've never thought that I would enjoy reading a play. This is a work of art with every line having meaning and significance.A quick summary of the story without giving too much away: This is the story about an elderly couple who seem to hate each other with a passion. They're rude, loud, offensive, and insulting. When they invite a younger couple to their house, things quickly start to get out of control, while the elderly couple use their guests as sheilds and pawns in their brutal arguements and such. The story ends with a shocking resolution that will catch you off guard. The dialogue in this play is so beautifully written. It reads like the way people actually talk. That is why I enjoyed it so much. It also enriched the characters that much more. Edward Albee did a magnificent job of weaving a tale that seems so realistic it's as if we are there at that house on that very night. There are no minor characters; everyone is important in a very significant way. It is refreshing to be able to get to know each character and the hopes, dreams, ambitions, and the conflicts that lie within. I really enjoyed reading this wonderfully structured play. Much so that I have already read it at least seven times. It is a very easy read. And since it is mostly dialogue, it really doesn't take long to read. You could easily finish it in a day or two if you really put your heart to it. Even if you don't enjoy reading novels, maybe this is the solution. There is no lengthy descriptions of what color the characters' eyes are or what they're wearing. Just good old dialogue that will have you hooked from the very beginning. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is an outstanding play that will forever remain a true classic in American Literature.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tense and disturbing piece of drama, 7 Jun 2005
Before embarking on a reading of this play be warned that the entire piece is an emotional onslaught as family values are attacked, the entire concept of marriage is undermined and no character emerges unscathed by the proceedings of the long and boozy night over which the play is set. Confining the play almost entirely to the living room of George and Martha, screwed up couple number one, and making the only other characters in the play their guests, Nick and Honey, screwed up couple number two, results in a tense and claustrophobic piece of drama. Add to this an extremely large amount of booze and the inevitable revelation of long kept and destructive secrets, and the play becomes a damning indictment of both the institution of marriage and the destructive capabilities that couples can inflict upon each other.
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by Harold Pinter
by Tennessee Williams
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