“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ” Not this viewer.

This week Tarleton State University Theatre is presenting “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” This darkly comic three-act play is tailored for a mature audience, but it definitely delivers in the adult comedy department. Once again, I walked away from the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Building thoroughly impressed.

“Virginia Woolf” is set in the 1960’s home of George (Josh Hensley) and Martha (Meg Steffens), a middle-aged couple trapped in a bitter marriage. After inviting a young couple, Nick (Scotty Combs) and Honey (Madison Paradis), for late night drinks, the elder two decide to play some “fun and games” with their guests. What follows is a night of debauchery, spilled secrets and vengeance as George and Martha declare war on each other.

Josh Hensley and Meg Steffens perform with electric on-stage chemistry. They play off each other like a real couple, swapping hateful remarks and brutal jabs as Nick and Honey look on in horror. What I was especially impressed with is the fact that George and Martha could be played so well by such young actors. It is easy to forget that Hensley and Steffens are not a middle-aged couple on the verge of collapse. Also noteable are Combs’ performance as the morally conflicted Nick, and Paradis as the soft-spoken Honey, who’s vain attempts to maintain pleasantry throughout the play provide much of the comic relief.

The set is fantastically unique, utilizing bookcases and furniture to create a claustrophobic atmosphere and allowing the audience to feel as trapped and Nick and Honey are as the madness increases throughout the show.

Overall, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” is a great view for an intellectual audience. There is no bathroom humor or child’s play; instead, the dialogue is sharp and quick-witted and the characters are despicable and tragic all at the same time. Although the run time is fairly long (clocking in at just under three hours) it is well worth the evening spent watching. Tarleton Theatre has yet to deliver a disappointing show this year, and “Virginia Woolf” is another success to add to the list.

“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” will be showing through Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Ticket information can be found at (254) 968-9634.