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N.S. censors afraid of Virginia Woolf

Broadcast Date: Feb. 4, 1967

The film adaptation of Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, comes to Canadian cinemas in 1967. But the plot line shocks the Nova Scotia Board of Film Censors and they are afraid to show it. The film's portrayal of a foul-mouthed and sado-masochistic couple during an hysterical night of physical battles provoked a ban.

The province's three film censors — a teacher, a store owner and a St. John Ambulance employee — pulled the film, calling it "obscene and blasphemous." According to movie critic Marilyn MacDonald, the province's film industry hasn't seen this much controversy in about a decade.

N.S. censors afraid of Virginia Woolf

• Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is tied with five others for the play with the most Tony Awards.

• Albee has also won three Pulitzer Prizes for drama.

• The play's name comes from a scene where the wife's drunken singing to her husband "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?" changes to "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?

• Even though it was thought the play's content was too obscene for film, the studio boss Jack Wagner insisted on retaining all the play's original elements.

• The film's stars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were also married in real life.

N.S. censors afraid of Virginia Woolf

Medium: Radio

Program: In Canada This Week

Broadcast Date: Feb. 4, 1967

Host: George Rich
Reporter: Marilyn MacDonald

Duration: 3:55

Photo: © 1978 Bob Willoughby

Last updated:
Feb. 3, 2009