Catherine Watson as Martha, Christian Burton, Nick

Marriage? ‘It’s all blood under the bridge’. That’s one of the many razor-sharp lines in Albee’s great play; an acerbic, vicious but always hilarious battle of wills between two middle-aged marrieds. A few weeks ago I was invited by Corkscrew Theatre to watch a rehearsal of this bruising four-hander. The casting draws some of the best acting talent in our city: Catherine Walston easily matching Liz Taylor for fatal attraction and drink-sodden verbal roughhouse. She plays Martha the wife of George, played here by David John. It was his idea to do the play in Cambridge telling me that he has always loved the piece and it’s his life’s ambition to be in it. See, dreams do come true.

Christian Burton (surely no relation to the filmic Richard?) plays the younger Nick and Holly Masters is Honey. The hapless couple have been invited to a dinner party not knowing that George and Martha view the drinks trolley as connubial Waterloo. The verbal sparring and often startling abuse still has the power to surprise and shock some sixty years after the play’s premier.

Holly Masters, Honey and David John, Nick

Drawing on crossbow tension, making this play work requires every ounce of acting talent and directorial ability. From what I saw a huge amount of work, time and love has gone into this production and it promises to be one of the drama highlights of the year. Of course, I could be wrong. Read my review in a couple of weeks to find out. Don’t be afraid.

(Eleanor Thompson will play Honey in the Saturday matinee).

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf runs from 19 September to 23 September at the ADC.

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