Composers and their stage works 

George Bernard Shaw

(1856 - 1950)

Born Dublin July 26, 1856. Died St. Lawrence, Hertfordshire November 2, 1950

Stage Works

  1. Passion Play. Play, 2 acts; verse. Written 1878.
  2. Un Petit Drame. Skit, 1 act. Written 1884. Published 1959.
  3. Widowers' Houses. Original didactic realistic play. Written 1885-1892. Published 1893, 1898. Produced London, Royalty Theatre, Dec. 9, 1892.
  4. The Philanderer. Topical comedy of the early 1890s, 4 acts. Written 1893. Published 1898. Produced London, Cripplegate Institute, Feb. 20, 1905; Court Theatre, Feb. 5, 1907.
  5. Mrs. Warren's Profession. 4 acts. Written 1893. Published 1898. Produced London, New Lyric Club, Jan. 5, 1902.
  6. Arms and the Man. Romantic comedy, 3 acts. Written 1894. Published 1898. Produced London, Avenue Theatre, Apr. 21, 1894.
  7. Candida. Mystery (this subtitle was subsequently removed by Shaw), 3 acts. Written 1895. Published 1898. Produced Aberdeen, Her Majesty's Theatre, July 30, 1897; London, Strand Theatre, July 1, 1900.
  8. The Man of Destiny. Trifle, 1 act. Written 1895. Published 1898. Produced Croydon, Grand Theatre, July 1, 1897; London, Comedy Theatre, Mar. 29, 1901.
  9. You Never Can Tell. Pleasant play, 4 acts. Written 1896. Published 1898. Produced London, Royalty Theatre, Nov. 26, 1899; Strand Theatre, June 4, 1907.
  10. The Devil's Disciple. Melodrama, 3 acts. Written 1897. Published 1901. Produced Bayswater, Bijou Theatre, Apr. 17, 1897; Albany, N. Y., Hermanus Bleecker Hall, Oct. 1, 1897; Kennington, Princess of Wales's Theatre, Sept. 26, 1899.
  11. The Gadfly: or The Son of the Cardinal. Play. Produced Bayswater, Bijou Theatre, Mar. 31, 1898.
  12. Caesar and Cleopatra. History, 4 acts. Written 1898. Published 1901. Produced Berlin, Mar. 31, 1906 (in German); New York, New Amsterdam Theatre, Oct. 30, 1906; Leeds, Grand Theatre, Sept. 16, 1907.
  13. Captain Brassbound's Conversion. Adventure, 3 acts. Written 1899. Published 1901. Produced London, Strand Theatre, Dec. 16, 1900.
  14. The Admirable Bashville, or Constancy Unrewarded. Play, 3 acts; verse. Written 1901. Published 1909. Produced London, Imperial Theatre, June 7, 1903. Based on Shaw's novel Cashel Byron's Profession.
  15. Man and Superman. A comedy and a philosophy, 4 acts (usually produced without Act III, which is presented separately as Don Juan in Hell). Written 1903. Published 1903. Produced London, Court Theatre, May 23, 1905.
  16. Don Juan in Hell. Act III of Man and Superman, usually produced separately. Written 1903. Published 1903. Produced London, Royal Court Theatre, Jan. 4, 1907.
  17. John Bull's Other Island. Play, 4 acts. Written 1904. Published 1907. Produced London, Royal Court Theatre, Nov. 1, 1904.
  18. How He Lied to Her Husband. Play, 1 act. Written 1904. Published 1907. Produced New York, Berkeley Lyceum, Sept. 26, 1904; London, Royal Court Theatre, Feb. 28, 1905.
  19. Major Barbara. Play, 3 acts. Written 1905. Published 1907. Produced London, Royal Court Theatre, Nov. 28, 1905.
  20. Passion, Poison, and Petrifaction; or The Fatal Gazogene. Brief tragedy for bams and booths, 1 act. Written 1905. Published 1905. Produced London, Regent's Park, July 15, 1905.
  21. The Doctor's Dilemma. Tragedy, 4 acts and epilogue. Written 1906. Published 1911. Produced London, Royal Court Theatre, Nov. 20, 1906.
  22. The Interlude at the Playhouse. Playlet, 1 scene. Written 1907. Published 1907. Produced London, Playhouse, Jan. 28, 1907.
  23. Getting Married. Disquisitory play, 1 long act. Written 1908. Published 1911. Produced London, Haymarket Theatre, May 12, 1908.
  24. The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet. Sermon in crude melodrama, 1 act. Written 1909. Published 1911. Produced Dublin, Abbey Theatre, Aug. 25, 1909; London, Aldwych Theatre, Dec. 5, 1909.
  25. Press Cuttings. Topical sketch compiled from the editorial and correspondence columns of the daily press during the woman's war in 1909, 1 long act. Written 1909. Published 1909. Produced London, Royal Court Theatre, July 9, 1909.
  26. Fascinating Foundling. Disgrace to the author, 1 act. Written 1909. Published 1926. Produced London, Arts Theatre Club, Jan. 28, 1928.
  27. The Glimpse of Reality. Tragedietta, 1 act. Written 1909. Published 1926. Produced Glasgow, Fellowship Hall, Oct. 8, 1927; London, Arts Theatre Club, Nov. 20, 1927.
  28. Misalliance. Debate in one sitting (no act divisions). Written 1910. Published 1914. Produced London, Duke of York's Theatre, Feb. 23, 1910.
  29. The Dark Lady of the Sonnets. Interlude, 1 act. Written 1910. Published 1914. Produced London, Haymarket Theatre, Nov. 24, 1910.
  30. Fanny's First Play. Easy play for a little theatre; introduction, 3 acts, and epilogue. Written 1911. Published 1914. Produced London, Little Theatre, Apr. 19, 1911.
  31. Androcles and the Lion. Fable play, prologue and 2 acts. Written 1912. Published 1916. Produced Berlin, 1912 (in German); London, St. James's Theatre, Sept. 1, 1913.
  32. Overruled. Demonstration, 1 act. Written 1912. Published 1916. Produced London, Duke of York's Theatre, Oct. 14, 1912.
  33. Beauty's Duty. Playlet, 1 scene. Written 1913. Published 1932.
  34. Pygmalion. Romance, 5 acts. Written 1912/13. Published 1914, 1916. Produced Vienna, Hofburgtheater, Oct. 16, 1913 (in German); London, His Majesty's Theatre, Apr. 11, 1914.
  35. Great Catherine (Whom Glory Still Adores). A thumbnail sketch of Russian court life during the eighteenth century, 4 scenes. Written 1913. Published 1919. Produced London, Vaudeville Theatre, Nov. 18, 1913.
  36. The Music Cure. Piece of utter nonsense, 1 act. Written 1913. Published 1926. Produced London, Little Theatre, Jan. 28, 1914.
  37. O'Flaherty V.C. A recruiting pamphlet, reminiscence of 1915. Written 1915. Published 1919. Produced Belgium, on the western front, Feb. 17, 1917; New York, Thirty-ninth Street Theatre, June 21, 1920.
  38. The Inca of Perusalem. An almost historical comedietta, prologue and 1 act. Written 1916. Published 1919. Produced Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Oct. 7, 1916.
  39. 39. Augustus Does His Bit. A true-to-life farce, unofficial dramatic tract on war saving and cognate topics; 1 act. Written 1916. Published 1919. Produced London, Royal Court Theatre, Jan. 21, 1917.
  40. Macbeth Skit. Play. Written 1916. Published Educational Theatre Journal, 1967, with introduction by B. F. Dukore.
  41. Annajanska, the Bolshevik Empress. Revolutionary romancelet, 1 act. Written 1917. Published 1919. Produced London, Coliseum, Jan. 21, 1918.
  42. Heartbreak House. Fantasia in the Russian manner on English themes, 3 acts. Written 1913/19. Published 1919. Produced New York, Garrick Theatre, Nov. 10, 1920; London, Royal Court Theatre, Oct. 18, 1921.
  43. Back to Methuselah. Metabiological pentateuch, 5 parts (I: In the Beginning; II: The Gospel of the Brothers Barnabas; III: The Thing Happens; IV: Tragedy of an Elderly Gentleman; V: As Far as Thought Can Reach). Written 1918/20. Published 1921. Produced New York, Garrick Theatre, Feb. 27, 1922; Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Oct. 9, 1923; London, Royal Court Theatre, Feb. 18, 1924.
  44. A Glimpse of the Domesticity of Franklin Barnabas. Play, written as Act II of Back to Methuselah. Written 1920. Published 1932. Produced New York, 1960.
  45. Jitta's Atonement. Play, 3 acts. Written 1922. Published 1926. Produced Washington, ShubertGarrick Theatre, Jan. 8, 1923; London, Grand Theatre, Jan. 26, 1925. Translation of Siegfried Trebitsch's Frau Gittas Sühne.
  46. Saint Joan. Chronicle play, 6 scenes and epilogue. Written 1923. Published 1924. Produced New York, Garrick Theatre, Dec. 28, 1923; London, New Theatre, Mar. 26, 1924.
  47. The Apple Cart. Political extravaganza, 3 acts. Written 1929. Published 1930. Produced Warsaw, Teatr Polski, June 14, 1929 (in Polish); Malvern, Festival Theatre, Aug. 19, 1929.
  48. Too True to Be Good. Political extravaganza, 3 acts. Written 1931. Produced Boston, Colonial Theatre, Feb. 29, 1932, New York, Guild Theatre, Apr. 4, 1932; Malvern, Festival Theatre, Aug. 6, 1932; London, New Theatre, Sept. 13, 1932.
  49. How These Doctors Love One Another! Playlet, 1 scene. Written 1931. Published 1932.
  50. Village Wooing. Comedietta for two voices, 3 conversations. Written 1933. Produced Dallas, Little Theatre Company, Apr. 16, 1934; Tunbridge Wells Repertory Players, May 1, 1934.
  51. On the Rocks. Political comedy, 2 acts. Written 1933. Produced London, Winter Garden Theatre, Nov. 25, 1933.
  52. The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles. Vision of judgment, prologue and 2 acts. Written 1934. Produced New York, Guild Theatre, Feb. 18, 1935; Malvern, Festival Theatre, July 29, 1935.
  53. The Six of Calais. Medieval war story, 1 act. Written 1934. Produced London, Regent's Park Open-air Theatre, July 17, 1934.
  54. The Millionairess. Jonsonian comedy, 4 acts. Written 1935. Produced Vienna, Akademietheater, Jan. 4, 1936 (in German); Melbourne, King's Theatre, Mar. 7, 1936; Bexhill, De La Warre Pavilion, Nov. 17, 1936.
  55. Arthur and the Acetone. Playlet, 3 acts. Written 1936. Published 1936.
  56. Cymbeline Refinished. Variation on Shakespeare's Act V ending, 1 act; verse. Written 1937. Published 1938. Produced Swiss Cottage, London, Embassy Theatre, Nov. 16, 1937.
  57. Geneva. Fancied page of history (another political extravaganza), 4 acts. Written 1938. Produced Malvern, Festival Theatre, Aug. 1, 1938; London, Saville Theatre, Nov. 22, 1938.
  58. "In Good King Charles's Golden Days." History lesson (a true history that never happened), 2 acts. Written 1939. Produced Malvern, Festival Theatre, Aug. 12, 1939; London, Streatham Hill Theatre, Apr. 15, 1940.
  59. The British Party System. Playlet, 1 scene. Written 1944.
  60. Buoyant Billions. Comedy of no manners, 4 acts. Published 1947. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Oct. 21, 1948, under the title Zu viel Geld (Too Much Money); Malvern, Festival Theatre, Aug. 13, 1949.
  61. Farfetched Fables. Six fables. Written 1948. Published 1949. Produced London, Watergate Theatre, Sept. 6, 1950; Newcastle, People's Theatre, Jan. 13, 1951.
  62. Shakes versus Shav. Puppet play, 1 scene; verse. Written 1949. Produced Malvern.
  63. Why She Would Not. Incomplete comedietta, 5 scenes. Written 1950.

 


Criticism

  1. H. Jackson, Bernard Shaw, London, 1907;
  2. A. Henderson, George Bernard Shaw: His Life and Works, London, 1911;
  3. C. F. Armstrong, Shakespeare to Shaw, London, 1913;
  4. J. L. Palmer, George Bernard Shaw: Harlequin or Patriot?, New York, 1915;
  5. R. Burton, Bernard Shaw: The Man and the Mask, New York, 1916;
  6. A. F. Hamon, The Twentieth Century Molière: Bernard Shaw, tr. by E. and C. Paul, New York, 1916;
  7. H. Skinpole, Bernard Shaw: The Man and His Work, London, 1918;
  8. J. G. Huneker, Iconoclasts, New York, 1919;
  9. H. C. Duffin, The Quintessence of Bernard Shaw, London, 1920;
  10. G. Norwood, Euripides and Shaw, with Other Essays, Boston and London, 1921;
  11. E. B. Shanks, Bernard Shaw, London, 1924;
  12. J. S. Collis, Shaw, New York, 1925;
  13. C. L. Broad and V. M. Broad, Dictionary to the Plays and Novels of Bernard Shaw, London, 1929;
  14. E. C. Wagenknecht, A Guide to Bernard Shaw, New York, 1929;
  15. M. Ellehauge, The Position of Bernard Shaw in European Drama and Philosophy, Copenhagen, 1931;
  16. F. Harris, Bernard Shaw, New York, 1931;
  17. A. Henderson, Bernard Shaw, Playboy and Prophet, London, 1932;
  18. R. F. Rattray, Bernard Shaw: A Chronicle and an Introduction, London, 1934;
  19. S. C. Sen Gupta, The Art of Bernard Shaw, London, 1936;
  20. J. P. Hackett, Shaw: George versus Bernard, New York, 1937;
  21. R. H. Sherard, Bernard Shaw, Frank Harris & Oscar Wilde, New York, 1937;
  22. E. Strauss, Bernard Shaw: Art and Socialism, London, 1942;
  23. J. M. Brown, Seeing Things, New York, 1946;
  24. S. Winsten, ed., G.B.S. 90: Aspects of Bernard Shaw's Life and Work, London, 1946;
  25. W. Clarke, George Bernard Shaw: An Appreciation and Interpretation, Altrincham, England, 1948;
  26. E. Wilson, The Triple Thinkers, rev. and enl. ed., New York 1948;
  27. M. D. Colboume, The Real Bernard Shaw, London, 1949;
  28. C. E. M. Joad, Shaw, London, 1949;
  29. A. M. Laing, ed., In Praise of Bernard Shaw, London, 1949;
  30. S. Winsten, Days with Bernard Shaw, New York, 1949;
  31. E. Fuller, George Bernard Shaw, New York, 1950;
  32. A. West, "A Good Man Fallen among Fabians," London, 1950;
  33. D. MacCarthy, Shaw, London, 1951;
  34. A. C. Ward, Bernard Shaw, London, 1951;
  35. S. Winsten, Shaw's Corner, London, 1952;
  36. I. J.C. Brown, Shaw in His Time, London, 1955;
  37. G. K. Chesterton, George Bernard Shaw, New York, 1956;
  38. St. J. G. Ervine, Bernard Shaw: His Life, Work, and Friends, London and New York, 1956;
  39. A. Henderson, George Bernard Shaw: Man of the Century, Washington, 1957;
  40. L. Kronenberger, ed., George Bernard Shaw: A Critical Survey, Cleveland, 1957;
  41. J. B. Kaye, Bernard Shaw and the Nineteenth-century Tradition, Norman, Okla., 1958;
  42. P. Kozelka, A Glossary to the Plays of Bernard Shaw, New York, 1959;
  43. A. Chappelow, ed., Shaw the Villager and Human Being: A Biographical Symposium, New York, 1962;
  44. R. M. Ohmann, Shaw: The Style and the Man, Middletown, Conn., 1962;
  45. M. Shenfield, George Bernard Shaw: A Pictorial Biography, London, 1962;
  46. S. S. Stanton, ed., A Casebook on Candida, New York, 1962;
  47. C. G. L. Du Cann, The Loves of George Bernard Shaw, New York, 1963;
  48. L. Langner, G. B. S. and the Lunatic, New York, 1963;
  49. M. Meisel, Shaw and the Nineteenth-century Theater, Princeton, N. J., 1963;
  50. H. Pearson, George Bernard Shaw: His Life and Personality, New York, 1963;
  51. C. B. Purdom, A Guide to the Plays of Bernard Shaw, New York, 1963;
  52. S. Weintraub, Private Shaw and Public Shaw: A Dual Portrait of Lawrence of Arabia and G. B. S., New York, 1963;
  53. A. Williamson, Bernard Shaw: Man and Writer, New York, 1963;
  54. H. E. Woodbridge, George Bernard Shaw: Creative Artist, Carbondale, Ill., 1963;
  55. B. C. Rosset, Shaw of Dublin: The Formative Years, University Park, Pa., 1964;
  56. B. B. Watson, A Shavian Guide to the Intelligent Woman, New York, 1964;
  57. D. P. Costello, The Serpent's Eye, Notre Dame, Ind., 1965;
  58. R. J. Kaufmann, ed., G. B. Shaw: A Collection of Critical Essays, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1965;
  59. G. A. Pilecki, Shaw's Geneva, The Hague, 1965;
  60. J. P. Smith, The Unrepentant Pilgrim: A Study of the Development of Bernard Shaw, Boston, 1965;
  61. A. H. Nethercot, Men and Supermen: The Shavian Portrait Gallery, 2d ed., New York, 1966;
  62. J. O'Donovan, Shaw and the Charlatan Genius, Chester Springs, Pa., 1966;
  63. E. R. Bentley, Bernard Shaw, 2d British ed., London, 1967;
  64. H. Fromm, Bernard Shaw and the Theater in the Nineties, Lawrence, Kans., 1967;
  65. F. Mayne, The Wit and Satire of Bernard Shaw, London, 1967;
  66. O. E. Coolidge, George Bernard Shaw, Boston, 1968;
  67. B. F. Dukore, ed., Saint Joan: A Screenplay by Bernard Shaw, Seattle, 1968;
  68. W. Irvine, The Universe of G. B. S., New York, 1968;
  69. C. A. Carpenter, Bernard Shaw & the Art of Destroying Ideals: The Early Plays, Madison, Wis., 1969;
  70. A. Chappelow, Shaw, "the Chucker-out," London, 1969;
  71. L. Crompton, Shaw the Dramatist, Lincoln, Nebr., 1969;
  72. L. Crompton, Shaw the Dramatist, Lincoln, Nebr., 1969;
  73. J. A. Mills, Language and Laughter: Comic Diction in the Plays of George Bernard Shaw, Tucson, 1969;
  74. B. F. Dukore, Bernard Shaw, Director, Seattle, 1970;
  75. R. Zimbardo, ed., Twentieth Century Interpretations of Major Barbara, New York, 1970;
  76. B. F. Dukore, Bernard Shaw, Director, London, 1971.