A “fresh perspective” of Mrs Warren’s Profession will be performed by the theatre company SHAW2020 at Shaw’s Corner, Ayot Saint Lawrence, near Welwyn.
When it was written in 1893, it was banned and when it was first performed in New York in 1905, all the actors and crew were arrested – but later released without charge, director Jonas Cemm said.
“It delves into the complex relationship between mother and daughter and the moral societal expectations of the day and the hypocrisy surrounding prostitution,” he said.
Oscar-nominated national treasure Dame Judi Dench has congratulated a young theatre company for their award-winning production of George Bernard Shaw’s intimate comedy Village Wooing.
SHAW2020’s production, directed by Welwyn Garden City Campus West panto director Jonas Cemm, won a ‘Standing Ovation’ award at the 2021 London Pub Theatre Awards and is a finalist for an OffFest award at this year’s Offies.
Village Wooing starred Campus West panto favourite Joe Sargent as ‘A’ and Maryann O’Brien as ‘Z’.
Dame Judi, who is nominated for best supporting actress at this year’s Academy Awards for her breathtaking performance in Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast, appeared alongside the late Richard Briers in Village Wooing on ITV in 1979.
“Congratulations to Jonas and the team for the nomination and win for Village Wooing, a play I have fond memories of performing in,” said Dame Judi, who is a Shaw Society vice-president. “It’s wonderful to see SHAW2020’s work continue to thrive as shown by this industry recognition. I wish their production continued success.”
Village Wooing, a comedietta for two voices, is a charming 60-minute two-hander in which the characters, simply named ‘A’ and ‘Z’, play a relentless game of cat and mouse across land and sea.
Dame Judi Dench pictured during The Shaw Society’s 80th anniversary online celebrations, produced in association with SHAW2020 (Image: The Shaw Society)
SHAW2020 wins a ‘Rediscovery’ Standing Ovation award from London Pub Theatre Magazine
The London Pub Theatres Awards 2021 were held at Lion and Unicorn Theatre on 24 October 2021. Designed to celebrate outstanding achievements in the pub theatre environment, they cover pub theatres, companies and individuals in 15 categories (including Theatre Online). The Awards are run by London Pub Theatres Magazine and are made possible by the kind sponsorship of David Brady, Artistic Director of Lion and Unicorn Theatre…
A Bernard Shaw play will be performed in a church not far from the celebrated Irish playwright’s former home in Ayot St Lawrence.
Village Wooing, A Comedietta for Two Voices, by Bernard Shaw, will be performed at The Palladian Church in the Hertfordshire countryside on Friday, August 13 and Saturday, August 14.
SHAW2020 presents this knockabout battle of the sexes in a Shaw Society sponsored production.
Village Wooing is a charming two-hander in which the characters, simply named ‘A’ and ‘Z’, play a relentless game of cat and mouse across land and sea. This hour-long play has had many incarnations, most notably in a 1979 ITV production, starring Richard Briers as ‘A’ and Dame Judi Dench, a Shaw Society vice-president, as ‘Z’.“It’s wonderful to see Shaw’s plays being kept alive, and to such a high standard by SHAW2020. Long may they continue,” said Dench, who also played M in the Bond films.
SHAW2020 theatre company is dedicated to the performance, exploration, and adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s works. Their focus is to bring Bernard Shaw’s theatre and writings – including those of his contemporaries and those he influenced – to a wider, more diverse audience.
In 2019, SHAW2020 performed at The Palladian Church, to sell-out audiences, with a five-star reviewed tour of Shaw’s Arms and the Man. They hoped to repeat the success in 2020 with the infamous Mrs Warren’s Profession. However, as 2020 was the year that wasn’t, SHAW2020 and The Shaw Society transferred their performances online, presenting a programme of Zoom theatre events entitled ‘Sharing Shaw’ and the YouTube series ‘Talking Shaw’.
Now, in 2021, they are delighted to be flexing their live theatre muscles once more after a year of online content.
A zany ‘puppet show’ with Pythonesque touches is the curtain-raiser for the second programme in The Shaw Society’s mini-season marking the 70th anniversary of George Bernard Shaw’s death and his works coming out of copyright.
Farewell GBS culminates on Sunday, December 13 with two more free ‘Zoom theatre’ presentations – Shakes versus Shav, from SHAW2020, and Shaw’s First and Last Thoughts, from Michael Friend Productions.
Playwright George Bernard Shaw died at his home Shaw’s Corner in Ayot St Lawrence, Hertfordshire, 70 years ago, in his 95th year.
One of the most famous men in the world at the time, the news instantly went round the globe.
Lights were dimmed at theatres on Broadway, and theatres in Australia observed a two-minute silence.
Two original shows, Darlington, 1950 and Words of Love & Loss for a Platform Spellbinder, celebrating Bernard Shaw, kicked off the Farewell GBS programme on the 70th anniversary of his death – November 2.
Now to close the season, as the end of the year approaches and as Shaw’s works come out of copyright, The Shaw Society present two more free shows online.
The first in this double-bill, Shakes versus Shav (1949), is directed by Joe Sargent, a Welwyn Garden City Campus West panto regular.
It comes from SHAW2020, a theatre company whose mission is to engage more diverse audiences with performance and exploration of Bernard Shaw’s works.
Words of Love and Loss for a Platform Spellbinder by Helen Tierney, directed by Alexis Leighton. Helix Productions
A highly original show celebrating playwright George Bernard Shaw will be available to view free online on the 70th anniversary of his death on Monday, November 2.
Playwright George Bernard Shaw died at his home Shaw’s Corner in Ayot St Lawrence, Hertfordshire, 70 years ago, in his 95th year.
One of the most famous men in the world at the time, the news instantly went round the globe.
Lights were dimmed at theatres on Broadway, and theatres in Australia closed.
An original show celebrating Bernard Shaw will be made available to view free online on the 70th anniversary of his death – on Monday, November 2.
Farewell GBS presents two specially devised pieces, both by women writers, and both featuring current Shaw actresses playing many women, famous and unknown, to whom Shaw was important in their lives.
The curtain-raiser for Farewell GBS is Anne Wright’s Darlington, 1950, based on her full-length play Affectionately, Ellen. Ever, GBS which premiered last year at the Actors Centre.
Ellen Pollock, one of Shaw’s favourite actresses, announced his death from the stage during a tour of one of his plays, The Devil’s Disciple.
Wright draws on Pollock’s personal archive, including the many letters she received from Shaw. Ellen is played by experienced Shaw actress Laura Fitzpatrick.
Anne Wright’’s Darlington, 1950 is based on her full-length play Affectionately, Ellen. Ever, GBS (Image: Shaw2020)
Shaw is played by Jonas Cemm, artistic director of SHAW2020, the company he founded to promote Shaw’s plays as they come out of copyright at the end of this year.
Farewell GBS is an online production in The Shaw Society’s new Sharing Shaw series.
Jonas Cemm, who also directs the Welwyn Garden City Campus West pantomime, said: “We are delighted to be part of The Shaw Society’s extended Shavian family as we celebrate the 70th anniversary.
Helen Tierney’s Words of Love and Loss for a Platform Spellbinder also forms part of Farewell GBS.
It also draws on letters written by women to Bernard Shaw, combining these in a collage of tributes in the form of a wake, to the accompaniment of Irish songs on harp and accordion.
Directed by Alexis Leighton, Tierney’s partner in Helix Productions, Words of Love and Loss presents eight experienced Shaw actresses performing 16 roles, including such famous women as Ellen Terry as well as unknown fans of Shaw.
Helen Tierney explained: “The artist who painted GBS as The Platform Spellbinder fell deeply in love with her subject, as did many others.
“Shaw’s death in 1950 was mourned by millions of people around the world, many of them women…”
This brand-new production of Arms and The Man is the collaboration of three theatre companies; Shaw 2020, Split/Shift Theatre Company and Michael Friend Productions. Bernard Shaw is considered one of the most important English-Language playwrights after Shakespeare. At least half a dozen of his plays still remains part of the world repertoire and this one, written in 1893, is the first of Shaw’s so-called ‘Plays Pleasant’ and it’s a gem.
Derek Murphy and Joanna Pearson-Farr in Arms and the Man. Photo David Winskill
A young and diverse audience gathered to watch at the beautiful setting of the Lauderdale House Tea Lawn, which was great to see as the Shaw 2020 mission is to bring the works of Bernard Shaw to a wider audience. The backdrop to Arms and The Man is the war between Serbia and Bulgaria in the winter of 1885/86. Shaw uses this to explore some of his favourite issues: disillusionment with war, romantic love and social status. The excellent cast, under the expert direction of Michael Friend, transport us from a lovely warm evening in North London to a small town in Bulgaria…
SHAW2020 Theatre Company 