This production, directed by David Agro, uses the intimate venue of the Red Sandcastle Theatre to make this an inescapable and unforgettable experience. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has a strong, talented cast with David Agro and Deborah Shaw leading the way. Shaw makes her presence known from the minute Martha enters and keeps that strength throughout the production. Her monologue in the second part of the show brought a tear to my eye; Shaw delivered it with passion and grace. Agro is at once the stereotypical bumbling professor, while also showing a very cruel side to George. When Agro’s character tells a story, the audience is so rapt you could hear a pin drop. 

Joining them as Nick and Honey are Josh Palmer and Chloe Matamoros, both newcomers to the Toronto theatre scene. Palmer gives a dazzling performance; you could see the constant anger bubbling under Nick’s skin no matter how hard he had to bite his tongue. Matamoros plays Honey with a sweet, put-on innocence perfectly befitting a little housewife of the time. Her bubbly performance makes the times when Honey shows her true self all the more jarring and fabulous. The chemistry between these four actors is superb; truly I don’t think the play could work properly otherwise, and they certainly make this work! Make sure you witness this classic come to life before it’s gone! - A View From The Box

…Many blazing, iconic moments… Cramming the four characters and all their action into [such a small] space ratchets up the awkwardness and tension—key aspects of the play—and makes for a very strange, intense phenomenon. And I loved it.

As they toss barbs, snarl and sneer, Agro (who also directed) and Shaw’s George and Martha are a deliciously toxic portrait of domestic cruelty and dysfunction—equally heartbreaking, off-putting and comical. Martha has fashioned herself into a grotesque caricature of sensual, earthy womanhood and Shaw lands on each of her crass gambits in such a way as to hint at the essential vulnerability that will, eventually, punch us in the gut. Agro’s posturing clarifies George’s affectations, shows us a man trapped in a drawing room melodrama he helped concoct.

As Nick and Honey, Palmer and Matamoros give rich and nuanced portrayals, drawing our attention even while their counterparts are letting off such luridly dazzling fireworks. Palmer offers up seething little flashes of Nick’s ambition and his resentment towards both Honey and their eccentric hosts. I was especially fascinated by Matamoros, my eyes often drifting to her during scenes in which she’s almost entirely without dialogue. Her face, as it rises and falls, not only reveals Honey, but makes her a sort of audience surrogate, drunkenly echoing our own awful realizations.

The costumes are spot on, telling us how each of these people see themselves and, more importantly, how they embody their fragile masks of gentility. …honest and persuasive performances… an emotionally solid production… -Istvan Reviews

Deborah Shaw plays Martha as an in-your-face loudmouth who yearns for attention. David Agro plays George with a controlled contempt, until he can’t stand it and loses control. The two young actors are impressive finds. As Nick, Josh Palmer listens intently and reacts with wariness. He is also very confident and knows how to read the room. Chloe Matamoros has that subtle look on her face of a woman trying to keep up with what is happening, and seeming to be just a beat behind. She too is compelling in her focus on what is happening.

Director David Agro uses the small space of the Red Sandcastle Theatre very effectively in establishing relationships, both close and estranged. -The Slotkin Letter

Fiercely directed by David Agro… A brilliant cast of four delivers bout after bout of flaming language and emotion. Agro also stars as George, a college history professor who moves around the stage like a wounded cat and thinks he is conducting the games of the evening. Shaw [as Martha] and Agro are brilliant together as his eyes keep popping at her vulgar braying. Their drunkenness accelerates with subtlety. Shaw’s brash toughness is belied by Agro’s power to kill the game of the “son”. Shaw’s skill is being drunk, angry, and self-despairing all at once. A highlight of George’s work is a splendid speech about chromosomes. As director, Agro blocks George often with his back to the audience. Cleverly, this suggests George as a conductor, trying to control his “games”. Josh Palmer, as Nick, demonstrates versatility with a range of emotions. He somehow balances his drunken lust for Martha and concern for his infirm wife. Lack of confidence is displayed by moments of staring at nothing and nervous knees chattering back and forth as he sits nervously. Chloe Matamoros, as Honey, hides her fears in austere clothing and wrapped up hair. But she clearly exposes her alcoholism while she stares at a bottle (not the pourer) as it gurgles. Honey is an enigma—a seeming witless minor character, she breaks out into moments of clarity underscoring George and Martha’s evil. She is almost a Greek chorus, hovering above the fray with pitiful commentary. Albee’s work blurs the distinction between illusion and reality—this talented cast delivered the theme. -Our Theatre Voice

Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has been brought to life by zippysaid productions in a compelling new production… A brassy, boozy Deborah Shaw delivers a powerhouse performance as Martha, embodying the character’s complex blend of ferocity and vulnerability. David Agro, who plays husband George and directs the piece, skillfully navigates the delicate balance of weariness and cunning essential to his role. Newcomers Josh Palmer and Chloe Matamoros, playing Nick and Honey, add a fresh energy in performances that hold their own against their more experienced co-stars in their ravening roles. Palmer is affecting in portraying Nick’s mercurial mix of ambition and underlying insecurity, while Matamoros gives Honey a hauntingly fragile presence that resonates after the curtain falls. Agro’s direction is both measured and daring. He maintains the play’s intense pace, while allowing its moments of dark humour to sparkle. Who’s afraid of theatre that challenges, provokes and gets right in your face…? If you aren’t, then this is an eminently worthy production for you. - Sesay Arts Magazine 

Edward Albee’s 1962 masterpiece, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at the Red Sandcastle Theatre… is a terrific little production, and a big surprise. Sometimes alternative theatre companies can really surprise you, and this is one of those times. …Director David Agro has marshalled Deborah Shaw (Martha), Josh Palmer (Nick), Chloe Matamoros (Honey) and himself (George) into an effective ensemble that brings vibrant life to Albee’s sophisticated script. Highly recommended for those who know the play and those who don’t. -Paula Citron Reviews