Adapting Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf - Annie DiRago
In Greenwich village, a lively Manhattan neighborhood, George, and Martha reside just minutes from the NYU campus. In a luxurious, tech-savvy penthouse apartment, the couple lives, drinks and hosts late night gatherings. George and Martha, employees of the nearby college, enjoy breathtaking views of Washington Square Park through their floor to ceiling windows. They host their younger colleagues, Nick and Honey, following meetings at the University.
One night in particular, the couple leaves the NYU campus after a school wide meeting regarding the use of AI and Chat GBT. George and Martha walk back to their apartment building where they are greeted by their doorman. “Good evening” he says, “late meeting tonight?”
“Oh my god, yes, they were talking about that new AI tool. Apparently, it's taking over in schools. It can give you an answer to anything. What a clever idea! Don’t you think George? GEORGE?” Martha exclaims.
“Sure, Martha. Can we just go upstairs?”
“Oh George. Goodnight Mr. Doorman, that suit fits your muscles perfectly, if I do say so myself.” Martha winks and heads towards the elevator. George follows. They head up to the 34th floor where they scan their phones to get into their apartment. They walk into their messy apartment where Martha quickly pulls out her vape and begins hitting it.
“What a dump… George, what is that from?” Martha asks. “What a dump.”
“How would I know? Look it up with that new technology you told the doorman about.” George says.
“Oh George, can't you help with anything?”
“Why do you need my help, that technology can help with anything.” George replies.
Martha, flustered, follows George into their kitchen while looking up the quote she was asking him about. She peeks in the fridge and pulls out leftovers from the restaurant they went to the previous night. She places them into the microwave and eats small bites of it while George tidies up the kitchen. He goes over to the Roomba and presses start so that the floors are clean. Martha starts reading the description of the movie out loud and stating who the lead actors in the film are. While reading, George interrupts with the name of the movie. She continues reading ignoring completely what George said. Finally, she finishes reading and notices that George is on his phone scrolling through twitter.
“Did you even listen to me or were you to busy scrolling through some stupid social media?” Martha says angrily.
“Oh Martha, I was listening to you. It's called multitasking.” George replies.
“Go make me a drink… I said, go make me a drink!” She yells.
George walks out of the room and heads towards their in-apartment bar. Martha follows bringing the ice from the kitchen freezer. She hears her phone buzz and she grabs her phone and read it's out loud. “We’ve got guests.”
“We got what?” George asks.
“Guess. Guests.” She replies.
“Guests?” George asked puzzled.
“Yeah. Guess. PEOPLE. We have guests coming over.” Martha says unenthusiastically.
“When?”
Martha replies, “Now, they just texted in a group chat that they were on their way over. Now make me a drink and get yourself ready for them.”
“Who are the guests?” George asks.
“You know they. The couple from the meeting tonight. The young and good looking one's.”
“What are their names?” George says still confused about who is coming over.
“I don’t know their names. I didn’t save their numbers in my phone.” Martha says.
They get a call from their doorman moments later informing them that their guests have arrived. Martha invites them up and the game of illusion begins to unfold.
In this adaptation, I wanted to modernize the opening scenes of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and incorporate phrases and technologies that are used today. I thought that by including key moments and phrases from the original play and adding in a modern flare that it would feel more realistic and feel like it was taking place in the present day. Also, by adapting the first few scenes, it sets the tone for what the rest of the play could potentially look like.
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