Incredibly, Edward Albee's seminal drama "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" has not been seen on Broadway since 1976. The seemingly offbeat casting of film star Kathleen Turner opposite mime Bill Irwin works beautifully. As tautly directed by Anthony Page, this "Long Night's Journey Into Day" is an equal battle, with George giving as good as he gets from Martha. The 43-year-old play seems more than ever like an American version of Strindberg's "Dance of Death," as the couple's 26-year marriage collapses around them.
From the moment Turner enters with her "What a dump" routine until the final moments of the play, when she answers the question "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?" with "I am," she is always the fighter, always on. With her celebrated husky voice, her Martha is not so much blowzy as voluptuous, frustrated, and unfulfilled.
Albee's George is actually the more difficult part: holding his anger in, appearing not to care when he desperately cares. Irwin's appearance in "The Goat" has taught him what he needs to know about interpreting Albee's passive-aggressive men. He makes use of his mime training: Watch his body language, which says as much as his words. George is on stage for almost the entire running time, and Irwin holds our attention throughout.
As the younger couple who will grow into George and Martha, David Harbour and Mireille Enos, their late-night guests, hold their own. Harbour's Nick is the none-too-bright opportunist who makes the perfect sounding board for both Martha and George. Enos' Honey shows signs that she knows her marriage has never worked. John Lee Beatty's living room in browns and tweeds instantly creates the college-town milieu. Page's production is a powerful character study and can be forgiven if the final scene does not seem as shattering as memory recalls.