History Theatre / WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolf

* RealLifeRelative: George and Martha were played in the film version by then-couple Richard Burton and ElizabethTaylor.

* ShadowArchetype: George and Martha put on vivid display the conflicts that Honey and Nick try to keep sumbmerged

-->--Martha

A classic 1963 play by Edward Albee, which in turn spawned a classic 1966 film directed by MikeNichols and starring RichardBurton and ElizabethTaylor.

* HappyMarriageCharade: Jury's still out on which of the two couples has the shakier marriage.

* HypocriticalHumor: When George and Martha try to find out where the "What a dump" line comes from, George suggests ''Chicago''. Martha responds: " Don't you know anything? ''Chicago'' was a '30s musical starring little Miss Alice Faye. Don't you know anything?" The film she's talking about is actually called ''In Old Chicago''.

-->'''Nick''': And I'll bet your wife has the broadest, most inviting avenue of the whole damn campus! *{{Beat}}* Her father president and all.

** Albee put "VirginiaWoolf" in the title in place of "Big Bad Wolf" because he was afraid of copyright infringement. It also adds to the concept of absurdism throughout the play.

** Plus the obvious reference to VirginiaWoolf in the title.

* ShoutOut: To ''Theatre/AStreetcarNamedDesire''. Also, Martha quotes a line ("What a dump!") from the BetteDavis movie ''BeyondTheForest'', which is mainly remembered for this reference.

** Albee put in Virginia Woolf instead of Big Bad Wolf because he was afraid of copyright infringement. It also adds to the concept of absurdism throughout the play.

* ShoutOut: To ''AStreetCarNamedDesire''. Also, Martha quotes a line ("What a dump!") from the BetteDavis movie ''BeyondTheForest'', which is mainly remembered for this reference.

*** Plus the obvious reference to VirginiaWoolf in the title.

** ContentWarnings: An example that predates the American film rating system. The poster's TagLine ("You are cordially invited to George and Martha's for an evening of fun and games*") was followed by this footnote: "*Important Exception: No one under 18 will be admitted unless accompanied by his parent." According to {{IMDB}}, the film has a rating equivalent to PG-13 or R in most countries.

** In the film version, due to legal conflict with {{Disney}}, the song is sung to the tune of "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush."

* MediationBackfire: There are hints that George and Martha deliberately invoke this trope in order to have something to bond over (i.e., abusing others instead of one another.)

* {{Minimalism}}: The play has one location, four characters and is in RealTime. The movie added a few outside locations and two bit parts.
* [[spoiler: MistakenForPregnant]]: [[spoiler: Honey]], charitably interpreted.

* DrunkDriver: In the movie. First George and later Martha, who nearly ends up parking the car inside their house.

* HappyMarriageCharade: Jury's still out on which of the two couples has the shakiest marriage.

* IncurableCoughOfDeath, averted: Characters in the film adaptation frequently cough, but it doesn't portend anything.

* TheDayTheMusicLied: George's umbrella.

* DrunkDriver: First George and later Martha, who nearly ends up parking the car inside their house.

* MindScrew: How on Earth did two whack-jobs ever produce a son who is the embodiment of perfection? [[spoiler: He didn't exist. He was totally fake, a story made-up for Martha and George so that they could feel like they had something.]]

* DidTheyOrDidntThey: "Are you a stud or a [[UnusualEuphemism houseboy]]?"

This character study follows George, a "boring" middle-aged history professor at a small [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] college, and his caustic, abusive wife Martha, as they invite another, younger professor, Nick, and his meek and mousy wife Honey, into their home one very drunken very early morning. The older couple verbally spars in front of their guests, and then gradually turns their abuse -- and lust -- onto them. [[SarcasmMode Fun, isn't it?]]

* GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion: [[spoiler: Suverted. It is implied that the sweet, fragile Honey secretly aborts any children she and her husband have conceived because she doesn't want children.]]

!!''WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolf'' features examples of:

** The last names of George, Martha and Nick are not given. And Nick's '''first''' name is never spoken on stage (though obviously it's in the program and can be deduced by whittling down the OmegaCast).

* OmegaCast

** Albee put in Virginia Woolf instead of Big Bad Wolf because he was afraid of cobyright infringement. It also adds to the concept of absurdism throughout the play.

** Albee put in Virginia Woolfe instead of Big Bad Wolf because he was afraid of cobyright infringement. It also adds to the concept of absurdism throughout the play.

* PunBasedTitle: An obvious play on "[[{{Disney/ThreeLittlePigs}} Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?]]"

* FridgeLogic: So, presumably, everyone else on campus knows that [[spoiler: George and Martha don't have any kids]], and a few questions or even casual remarks from Nick and Honey would make this clear to them?
** It's explicitly stated that Martha broke a 'rule' by telling ''others'' about their son. It's quite clear that Martha and George say nothing to anyone about their son. That's a point in their favor for not being bat-!@#$ insane.