Review: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Oxford Playhouse)

Oxford Playhouse are currently showing their own production of Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. I was pleased to go along and see what the show is all about.

On taking our seats, it was interesting to see the curtains closed at the start – and as it is so common to see a set as you walk into the theatre this had an instant impact. This was the first of many inspired directorial choices by Mike Tweddle.

I knew nothing about this play before it began but as the curtains opened I was instantly aware we were looking into the home of an academic. The bookcases stood out to me as a feature, full of books loaned by Blackwell’s, which was a pleasant local touch. The set design by Liz Ascroft was perfect for a show where most of the action takes place in one living space, and having the front door in sight was a good addition too. The focus was on the centre of the room where the seating was, but with additional areas both onstage and offstage, depicting an authentic functional space.

Katy Stephens and Matthew Pidgeon - production photo by Craig Fuller

Martha’s dad is the President of the same university where her husband George (Matthew Pidgeon) is employed as a history professor. They’ve just returned home from a party at 2am and Martha (Katy Stephens) has invited a younger couple who are new to the university over for drinks, much to George’s initial dismay. You can instantly tell that it’s going be downhill all the way from there, as the drinks begin to flow, and the meticulously orchestrated character assassination begins between the married couple. The performances by both actors were a masterclass in making a fast-paced angst-ridden discussion look effortless.

When Honey (Leah Haile) and Nick (Ben Hall) arrive you can’t help but think “don’t come in” but of course that would make for a play length of the opposite extreme to this three act epic. Barely switching away from their verbal attacks on each other, George and Martha’s hosting skills are debatable other than plying everyone with drinks continuously.

Nick and Honey initially seem like a happy young couple at the start of their married life, however with the free-flow alcohol reducing inhibitions, truths were gradually revealed. The strength of performance between all four actors was exceptional.

Ben Hall and Leah Haile - production photo by Craig Fuller

The lighting design (Ashley Bale and Will Hayman) was beautiful in its subtlety; you could easily not even notice the gradual changes for much of the play as the lamplight offered a warm glow initially, and the darkness outside eventually gave way to dawn. The final moments of the play were enhanced by the lighting once again.

The sound design and composition by Max Pappenheim was superb. At times, almost inaudible music gave a hint of atmosphere, and the precision of other sound effects had such a huge impact on this play.

At this point I must also mention the fight and intimacy director, Yarit Dor, as what unfolded on stage was so completely believable and gripping, in both respects, the physicality of the feuding couple standing off made the tension between them look almost unbearable at times. One unforgettable moment in the second act (I will not write any spoilers here) was also completely convincing and enhanced by authentic chemistry.

Katy Stephens, Leah Haile, Ben Hall and Matthew Pidgeon - production photo by Craig Fuller

A couple of personal highlights for me were firstly Honey’s dancing, combined with the sound and lighting aspects of this, during the second act. A brief but exquisite moment in the show.

The beginning of the final act was also a complete surprise with Katy Stephens unexpectedly breaking the fourth wall. The drama and also vulnerability of this entrance into the final act was something special, and the use of the curtains here was also insightful. The sound once again needs to be mentioned for (one example) when Martha yelled through a doorway and her voice was suddenly amplified and echoed. Superb.

Glancing at the programme before the show began and seeing the performance was likely to last 3 hours and 15 minutes, I was hoping the evening would be enjoyable at least. In fact, being completely engrossed in the play made the time melt away. The three acts broke the action perfectly into different stages of the night – and the combination of contrasts and familiarity across those three acts resonated well. The intervals were much needed to recover from the emotional impacts of each act in turn. I can only imagine how appreciated these breaks were by the actors.

The story may be described as challenging to watch at times, there are numerous content warnings for very valid reasons, with the constant sparring between the characters only being a small part of this. But these elements make the play what it is.

A delightful return to in-house producing by Oxford Playhouse – this is an unmissable show.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?  is showing at Oxford Playhouse until Saturday 7 March 2026. Click here to buy tickets.

I was gifted tickets for this show in exchange for an honest review.