History Theatre / WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolf

The play was adapted into a 1966 film directed by Creator/MikeNichols, starring Creator/RichardBurton as George, Creator/ElizabethTaylor as Martha, Creator/GeorgeSegal as Nick, and Sandy Dennis as Honey. The film received UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}} nominations in every category for which it was eligible--thirteen in all--and won five, including Best Actress for Taylor (in what is generally considered her greatest performance) and Best Supporting Actress for Dennis.

Featuring a screenplay adaptation by Ernest Lehman, the film was also a major step in the unraveling of UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode, as it featured dialogue that was profane and extremely sexually explicit by [[TheSixties '60s]] standards and was released with almost no changes (to the point where it was the first film to ever be rated R by the MPAA, [[UrExample even before its rating system was formally established]]). Later in 1966, Creator/{{MGM}} released ''Film/{{Blowup}}'' without Hays Code approval, which effectively marked the end of the Code.

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** When first introduced, Nick and Honey look to be a much more normal and healthy couple in comparison with George and Martha. But as the show goes on it becomes clear that both are very flawed people in their own right.

** Nick and Honey look to be a much more normal and healthy couple when introduced in comparison to George and Martha. But as the show goes on, it becomes clear that both are very flawed people.

* MeaningfulName: George and Martha are named after [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington the first US president]] and his wife - and the circumstances of ''that'' marriage are similar.

* PunBasedTitle: An obvious play on "[[WesternAnimation/TheThreeLittlePigs Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?]]" (which naturally makes it a QuestioningTitle as well). Albee put "Virginia Woolf" in the title in place of "Big Bad Wolf" because he was afraid of copyright infringement. (He'd also seen it as a graffito on a bathroom mirror and found it amusing.) It also adds to the concept of absurdism throughout the play.

* PunBasedTitle: An obvious play on "[[WesternAnimation/TheThreeLittlePigs Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?]]" Albee put "Virginia Woolf" in the title in place of "Big Bad Wolf" because he was afraid of copyright infringement. (He'd also seen it as a graffito on a bathroom mirror and found it amusing.) It also adds to the concept of absurdism throughout the play.
* TheReveal: It’s not explicitly stated until near the end of the play that [[spoiler:George and Martha made up the existence of their son]], though there are hints dropped to this extent as early as the first act. It may arguably qualify as an InternalReveal when Nick figures it out, as Honey gives hints of having figured it out much earlier.

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A classic 1963 play by Edward Albee, which in turn spawned a classic 1966 film directed by Creator/MikeNichols and starring Creator/RichardBurton and Creator/ElizabethTaylor, with Creator/GeorgeSegal and Sandy Dennis co-starring.

This character study follows George, a "boring" middle-aged history professor at a small [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] college, and his caustic, abusive wife Martha. Martha invites 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.

The play won several important dramatic awards, including the Tony Award for Best Play (its cast and crew also won several other major Tonys, including Best Direction, Best Production, Best Actor, and Best Actress). It was also selected for the UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize for Drama by that year’s drama jury, but the jury was overruled by the advisory board, who objected to its profanity and sexual content; correspondingly, no prize for drama was awarded that year.

The film was nominated for every single UsefulNotes/AcademyAward it was eligible for, winning five, including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for Taylor and Dennis respectively; it is generally considered Taylor’s best performance. (Dennis had also won a Tony Award in 1963, the same year the play won its Tonys, but hers was for ''Film/AThousandClowns''.) It was also a major step in the unravelling of UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode, as it featured dialogue that was profane and extremely sexually explicit by contemporary standards and was released with almost no changes (to the point where it was the first film to ever be rated R by the MPAA, [[UrExample even before its rating system was formally established]]). Later in 1966, Creator/{{MGM}} released ''Film/{{Blowup}}'' without Hays Code approval, which effectively marked the end of the Code.

** George and Martha's son is never referred to by name either. [[spoiler: This is probably the biggest clue that je doesn't actually exist.]]

* GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion: [[spoiler: Subverted. It is implied that the sweet, fragile Honey is secretly using birth control pills because she doesn't want to have children.]]

* FirstLawOfTragicomedies: Averted, since the humor is biting and sarcastic.

* BabiesMakeEverythingBetter: [[spoiler: Honey loses her fear of getting pregnant, and during Martha's soliloquy about her (fake) son, she states firmly she wants to get pregnant and have a baby with Nick after all.]]

* TheMasochismTango: George and Martha are arguably the {{Trope Codifier}}s in modern pop culture. Nick and Honey's marriage looks happier on the surface, but as we ultimately see, they're NotSoDifferent.

* NotSoDifferent: At first the two couples seem very dissimilar, but as the evening wears on we see the same traits emerging from both.

* InfantImmortality: [[spoiler: Double subverted. Played with in that Martha is affected by the BrokenMasquerade as much as if it would've actually happened.]]

** The names George and Martha are a reference to [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington George and Martha Washington]], the father and mother of the country. This pair of names is used in other places, including [[WesternAnimation/GeorgeAndMartha a children's book series about a pair of hippos]], and the comic strip series ''ComicStrip/LittleLulu'', where George and Martha are the name of the parents of the protagonist.

** The work itself also receives some shout outs in random, unexpected places, including a children's book series about a pair of hippos, and George and Martha being the name of of ComicStrip/LittleLulu's parents. (And, of course, George & Martha Washington, the Father & Mother of the country.)

* ShoutOut: To ''Theatre/AStreetcarNamedDesire''.

* ParlorGames

* YourCheatingHeart: George tells Nick that [[UnusualEuphemism "musical beds"]] is a popular sport, with the implication that Martha has cheated on him a number of times. [[spoiler: Nick decides to ride that train himself later that night.]]

The film was nominated for every single UsefulNotes/AcademyAward it was eligible for, winning five, including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for Taylor and Dennis respectively; it is generally considered Taylor’s best performance. (Dennis had also won a Tony Award in 1963, the same year the play won its Tonys, but hers was for ''Film/AThousandClowns''.) It was also a major step in the unravelling of UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode, as it featured dialogue that was profane and extremely sexually explicit by contemporary standards and was released with almost no changes. Later in 1966, Creator/{{MGM}} released ''Film/{{Blowup}}'' without Hays Code approval, which effectively marked the end of the Code.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: [[spoiler:Honey. She initially seems like TheDitz, but she's far more conniving than Nick, and figures out George and Martha's secret long before her husband.]]

-->'''George:''' Well that's one game. What shall we do now? Come on, I mean, let's think of something else. We've played Humiliate the Host - we can't do that one. What should we do now?...Let's see, there are other games, how about uh, how about Hump the Hostess huh?...OK, I know what we do. Now that we're through with Humiliate the Host...and we don't want to play Hump the Hostess yet...how about a little round of Get the Guests?

* PickOnSomeoneYourOwnSize: Martha's initial reaction to George turning on Nick is to accuse him of "[[UnusualDysphemism pygmy hunting]]". [[spoiler:It turns out to be a BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor, since George turns on ''her''.]]

* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The film. Not only does it serve to create a stark {{Chiaroscuro}} setting, but it also allows Martha to talk about having green eyes when Elizabeth Taylor has famously PurpleEyes.

* FakeWeakness: George. He seems wimpy and over-matched compared to his loud, shrewish wife, but he proves that she's no match for ''him'', let alone Nick and Honey, whom he dominates almost effortlessly.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Nick and Honey tells George they really ought to go home, causing George to snap, "For ''what''? You keeping the babysitter up or something?"

A classic 1963 play by Edward Albee, which in turn spawned a classic 1966 film directed by Creator/MikeNichols and starring Creator/RichardBurton and Creator/ElizabethTaylor, with George Segal and Sandy Dennis co-starring.