Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Summary | Act 1, Part 1 Summary

George and Martha arrive home from a party thrown by Martha's father, the president of the university where George is a professor. It is the early hours of Sunday morning. Martha is drunk and loud; George is less drunk and quieter. As they come in Martha quotes a famous line from an old film, and asks George what the name of the film was. When he is unable to answer right away she calls him names, reminds him of details of the film and keeps asking him what it was called. She also asks him to make her a drink, telling him they've got guests coming over. George, in disbelief, asks who the guests are. Martha tells him they're new on staff and that the husband is in the math department, and that the husband is good looking. This makes George pay closer attention and ask why they're having them over. She tells him that her father told her she and George were to be nice to them. George complains that Martha is always springing things on him unexpectedly.

Martha asks mockingly whether he's sulking, and then quotes the punch-line of a joke that caused a lot of laughter at the party, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," shouted out in a sing-song kind of voice. George finds it mildly amusing but Martha says he laughed his head off at the party, and then tells George that he makes her sick. He says that's not a nice thing to say, and they play a verbal game of completing each other's sentences. As they laugh, Martha asks for a kiss. George says he doesn't want to kiss her, saying he might get excited and start having sex with her right there in the living room, which wouldn't look good to their guests. She calls him a pig and asks for another drink. He makes her one, she mocks him about how little personality he has, and he asks her to keep her clothes on.

The doorbell rings. As George answers it, he tells Martha to not start "the bit" about the kid. Martha tells him she'll talk about the kid if she wants to, but George advises against it. He comments on how nice it is that some people still have manners, ringing the doorbell before coming in even as they're hearing yelling going on inside. Just as Martha yells at him one more time, George opens the door and reveals their guests.