The folks who insisted to me that this staging of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a must-see — including two members of the local theater community who told me they saw it twice each — weren't kidding around.

By staging the show in the living room of a Point Breeze house, the small but ambitious Cup-A-Jo troupe puts you right in the action: At moments, the front row of the limited-seating audience had their knees a foot from the actors. Of course, the production must justify that kind of intimacy, and this one does. It's a tough, unsparing but ultimately empathetic — and highly entertaining — take on this monumental play, with director Everett Lowe drawing the best from his cast.

If you've only ever seen the iconic film adaptation (with Elizabeth Taylor), hustle on down. You'll discover whole new layers to Albee's play about one rough night between two married couples after an early-1960s college-faculty party — or at least (like me), you'll be reminded of the play's corrosive brilliance, as full of wordplay and humor as it is of harsh insight.

Here's Stuart Sheppard's formal review of the production for CP.

Virginia Woolf has two more performances, at 7:30 p.m. tonight and again tomorrow. You must reserve tickets by emailing [email protected] or calling 412-334-3126; the address is revealed on reservation.

Tickets are $20-25 and must be paid for at the door by cash or check. For more info, see here.