The play might reasonably be subtitled 'Who's Afraid of DIRECTING this play?' To which the answer might be - ALL amateurs. The iconic film from Albee's play (which preserved almost every line of his sparkling dialogue intact) was a Burton and Taylor classic.Their unforgettable performances easily survive the scrutiny of over half a century of revisits.

Did this dissuade Mike Ward from directing it? Far from it! Did he manage to cast it? Brilliantly! And … incredibly - he gives us more! The play is performed in the round. We share every second of the tortuous relationships of the protagonists from a few feet of separation. The effects are electric. This is a theatrical experience you should try to get if you have the least interest in complex human relationships. Albee shows that what appears to be real might well be our own constructed illusions and what appears to be illusion might be closer to whatever we mean by 'truth'.

George, a middle-aged academic who hasn't reached his potential and his wife Martha return from a faculty party. Martha has - without George's knowledge - invited a young couple to join them for drinks. They are both already well fuelled up on alcohol. It is probably no accident that their Christian names are those of the first American president and his wife, because the play takes a microscope to the concept of marriage; its 'ideal type' and the emotional claustrophobia of the nuclear family. Whilst George and Martha openly insult and degrade each other, the younger Nick and Honey behave with reserved politeness. They are seemingly much better adjusted. As the play progresses, the illusions of these formal social veneers dissolve in the alcohol. What lies beneath is a couple bound together by the deepest needs while loathing their mutual dependence.

Jon Crowley as George is volcanic in his eruptions whilst struggling to keep back the surging power of his several frustrations. Lynne Smith as Martha is acidic but had me in tears at her demise. Terry Atkinson as the ambitious Nick - lost in the jungle at the start of the play, develops wonderfully with having to cope with his drunken wife and scheming hosts. Rebecca Peberdy as Honey is gloriously giggly and full of sinister seething. This team of actors is well in control of Albee's challenging script.

Ward's decision to present the play in the round raises its game even higher than the film. His technical team is, as always, inch perfect. You won't notice the lighting changes, the subtlety of the score, the slick properties movements. Neither should you. The drama is totally engrossing. Don't miss this if you can get to The Unicorn this week.