Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Just days before 'super-storm' Sandy wreaked havoc on the East Coast, a wonderful revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf opened at The Booth Theatre. Mounted by The Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the show features Amy Morton and Tracy Letts in the iconic roles of Martha and George.

The classic play is the story of a destructive relationship between a college professor and his wife, the daughter of the college president. After a college function, Martha invites a new professor (played by Madison Dirks ) and his vapid frail wife (portrayed by Carrie Coon) to their home.

Having been married many years, the couple "plays" a vicious game and draws the young couple into their nasty relationship. Fueled by excessive alcohol, they insult and mock one another. Martha sexually teases the young professor to taunt her husband. She mocks his manhood, his professional abilities and his college career. He's a failure and a disappointment and she makes no bones about telling all in front of company.

You feel like a UN observer in a war zone, as barbs and poisoned words fly back and forth. The wife is a sickly frail girl who spends a great deal of time offstage in the second act lying on the bathroom floor. Her husband joins forces with Martha, picking on George while responding to Martha sexually.

The success of the revival is in the superb performances. Morton and Letts, having worked together with The Steppenwolf Theater Company have a chemistry that is so natural, it feels as if they really are a couple. Morton received Tony and Drama Desk nominations for her work in August:Osage County. A Pulitzer -Prize winning playwright , Letts is more familiar to Broadway audiences as a playwright than he is as an actor but he is stunningly good.

He gives so compelling a performance that it's hard to take your eyes off him It’s like eavesdropping on the neighbors who are loudly arguing; you shouldn't be listening but you can't help yourself.