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The George Bernard Shaw Collection
Eight of George Bernard Shaw's most memorable plays in one splendid collection: Arms and the Man; Candida; The Devil's Disciple; The Doctor's Dilemma; Major Barbara; Misalliance; Mrs. Warren's Profession; Pygmalion. Eight full-cast performances featuring: Kate Burton, Roger Rees, Shirley Knight, Anne Heche, Eric Stoltz, Martin Jarvis, Paxton Whitehead, Richard Dreyfuss, Bruce Davison and many more.
Audiobook
First published July 24, 2008
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About the author
George Bernard Shaw
2,000 books4,126 followersGeorge Bernard Shaw stands as one of the most prolific and influential intellectuals of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a man whose literary output was matched only by his fervent commitment to social reform. Rising from a modest background in Dublin to become a global icon of letters, Shaw redefined the purpose of the stage, transforming it from a place of mere entertainment into a forum for rigorous intellectual debate and moral inquiry. His unique "Shavian" style—characterized by sharp-witted dialogue, paradoxical reasoning, and a relentless assault on Victorian hypocrisy—ensured that his voice resonated far beyond the footlights. As a playwright, critic, and philosopher, he remains a singular figure in history, being one of only two individuals to have been honored with both a Nobel Prize in Literature and an Academy Award. This rare crossover of high-art recognition and mainstream cinematic success speaks to his versatility and the enduring relevance of his narratives. His dramatic work, which includes over sixty plays, often tackled the most pressing issues of his day, from the rigid structures of the British class system to the complexities of gender roles and the ethical dilemmas of capitalism. In masterpieces like Pygmalion, he used the science of phonetics to demonstrate the artificiality of class distinctions, a theme that would later reach millions through the musical adaptation My Fair Lady. In Man and Superman, he delved into the philosophical concepts of the "Life Force" and the evolution of the human spirit, while Major Barbara forced audiences to confront the uncomfortable relationship between religious idealism and the industrial military complex. Beyond his theatrical achievements, Shaw was a foundational force in political thought, serving as a leading light of the Fabian Society. His advocacy for gradual socialist reform, rather than violent revolution, helped shape the trajectory of modern British politics and social welfare. He was instrumental in the creation of the London School of Economics, an institution that continues to influence global policy and economic theory. Shaw was also a formidable critic, whose reviews of music and drama set new standards for the profession, characterized by an uncompromising honesty and a deep knowledge of the arts. His personal lifestyle was as distinctive as his writing; a committed vegetarian, teetotaler, and non-smoker, he lived with a disciplined focus that allowed him to remain productive well into his ninth decade. He was a man of contradictions, often engaging in provocative public discourse that challenged the status quo, even when his views sparked intense controversy. His fascination with the "Superman" archetype and his occasional support for authoritarian figures reflected a complex, often elitist worldview that sought the betterment of humanity through radical intellectual evolution. Despite these complexities, his core mission was always rooted in a profound humanitarianism and a desire to expose the delusions that prevented society from progressing. He believed that the power of the written word could strip away the masks of respectability that hid social injustice, and his plays continue to be staged worldwide because the human foibles he satirized remain as prevalent today as they were during his lifetime. By blending humor with gravity and intellect with accessibility, Shaw created a body of work that serves as both a mirror and a compass for modern civilization. His legacy is not just in the scripts he left behind, but in the very way we think about the intersection of art, politics, and the individual’s responsibility to the collective good. He remains the quintessential public intellectual, a man who never feared to speak his mind or to demand that the world become a more rational and equitable place.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 8, 2021
Eight plays on Audiobook. Having read these plays before and/or seen them on film, I was surprised how much impact the casts had on my enjoyment. I shouldn't have been. Most of these plays are comedies, or have comedic elements, and who tells the joke and how they tell it, has always been very important.
Mrs. Warren's profession
I was perfectly willing to hate this play, since it seemed like another of Shaw's unrealistic plays with unreal people spouting off and validating Shaw's cultural/political views. And... that's what it is. But I enjoyed it anyway. Partly due to the cast - especially the actresses - but also because it's so well written. First, it much funnier and had more comedy than I expected. Second, its so expertly plotted, there's not an ounce of fat. Thirdly, Shaw introduces a note of complexity. Is Mrs Warren to be admired or held in contempt? Shaw allows both views. This is Shaw doing Ibsen - but funny, well-done Ibsen. Rating ***
Arms and the Man
Pure torture. Its incredibly talky and silly. Shaw had no experience with the military (was there anyone less inclined to like the Army or more ignorant of real life soldiers?) and the cast is simply awful. Why is this play still popular? Rating *
Candida
Candida starts out well and is amusing. But it soon devolves into unbelievable drama where a pastor's wife must choose between her husband or a love-mad poet. In Candida , everyone's a caricature - an unrealistic mouthpiece for opposing views of marriage and man/woman relations. The Pastor, for example, is a materialist's idea of a Christian minister. Its hard to believe Shaw ever saw the inside of a Church, despite populating his plays with Christian leaders. Basically, this is mediocre Ibsen with some humor. However, the Cast is excellent. Rating **1/2
The Devil’s Disciple
I never thought I'd praise the film by Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster, but compared to this version its a masterpiece. The three main leads are OK, but whoever thought of casting Richard Dreyfuss, of all people, as General Burgoyne should have been shot at dawn! The play itself is one of Shaw's lesser efforts. There's not enough Shavian wit and too much melodrama and absurdity. Rating *
Major Barbara
After listening to this version, I was filled with admiration for the 1940 film, which improves the dialogue and is much better acted. Its not that the LAW actors are bad, but they can't compare to Robert Morely, Wendy Hiller, and Rex Harrison. The play itself, is dragged down by Shaw's complete misunderstanding of religion, and his silly - almost 1850s - views of war and armaments. **1/2
The Doctor’s Dilemma
A melodramatic play about a doctor who has two patients, but only enough medicine for one. He must make a decision - who should live? Even the good acting couldn't save this one. Rating *.
Misalliance
Set in the house of a rich man (Tarleton Underwear), the family and their guests argue, propose marriage, fend off a killer, and deal with two aviators that come crashing in. The excellent cast made this one come alive. Sometimes very funny. Rating ***
Pygmalion
The cast is very good, and this perhaps Shaw's best and most popular play. Rating ****
Mrs. Warren's profession
I was perfectly willing to hate this play, since it seemed like another of Shaw's unrealistic plays with unreal people spouting off and validating Shaw's cultural/political views. And... that's what it is. But I enjoyed it anyway. Partly due to the cast - especially the actresses - but also because it's so well written. First, it much funnier and had more comedy than I expected. Second, its so expertly plotted, there's not an ounce of fat. Thirdly, Shaw introduces a note of complexity. Is Mrs Warren to be admired or held in contempt? Shaw allows both views. This is Shaw doing Ibsen - but funny, well-done Ibsen. Rating ***
Arms and the Man
Pure torture. Its incredibly talky and silly. Shaw had no experience with the military (was there anyone less inclined to like the Army or more ignorant of real life soldiers?) and the cast is simply awful. Why is this play still popular? Rating *
Candida
Candida starts out well and is amusing. But it soon devolves into unbelievable drama where a pastor's wife must choose between her husband or a love-mad poet. In Candida , everyone's a caricature - an unrealistic mouthpiece for opposing views of marriage and man/woman relations. The Pastor, for example, is a materialist's idea of a Christian minister. Its hard to believe Shaw ever saw the inside of a Church, despite populating his plays with Christian leaders. Basically, this is mediocre Ibsen with some humor. However, the Cast is excellent. Rating **1/2
The Devil’s Disciple
I never thought I'd praise the film by Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster, but compared to this version its a masterpiece. The three main leads are OK, but whoever thought of casting Richard Dreyfuss, of all people, as General Burgoyne should have been shot at dawn! The play itself is one of Shaw's lesser efforts. There's not enough Shavian wit and too much melodrama and absurdity. Rating *
Major Barbara
After listening to this version, I was filled with admiration for the 1940 film, which improves the dialogue and is much better acted. Its not that the LAW actors are bad, but they can't compare to Robert Morely, Wendy Hiller, and Rex Harrison. The play itself, is dragged down by Shaw's complete misunderstanding of religion, and his silly - almost 1850s - views of war and armaments. **1/2
The Doctor’s Dilemma
A melodramatic play about a doctor who has two patients, but only enough medicine for one. He must make a decision - who should live? Even the good acting couldn't save this one. Rating *.
Misalliance
Set in the house of a rich man (Tarleton Underwear), the family and their guests argue, propose marriage, fend off a killer, and deal with two aviators that come crashing in. The excellent cast made this one come alive. Sometimes very funny. Rating ***
Pygmalion
The cast is very good, and this perhaps Shaw's best and most popular play. Rating ****
March 25, 2020
The George Bernard Shaw Collection: Eight plays performed by L.A. Theatre Works. (This review is of an audiobook.) The best of them is Pygmalion, listed last below.
Mrs. Warren's profession (1893; not performed till 1902).
Smart young independent woman learns where her money comes from. Is she supposed to be a voice of moral authority? Is her mother supposed to be a villain? You don’t know, and you have a headache. (Compare Major Barbara (below), and Oscar Wilde’s better (lighter, more merciful) treatment of hypocrisy in Lady Windemere’s Fan (1892).) One star.
Arms and the Man (1894). Fun but a little earnest. The talkative, world-weary chocolate-cream soldier is on the run and hiding in the rooms of the respectable family of a military man. 4 stars.
Candida (1894)
Candida, a beautiful and worldly-wise woman, is married to a moralist/orator and is being courted by his aristocratic assistant. Her father is a man of business. Husband and suitor squabble for love of wife. Wife moralizes about how much the husband needs her. Dripping with earnestness. 2 stars.
The Devil’s Disciple (1897)
American revolutionary times. The black sheep of the family is found in the home of a preacher who is wanted for insurrection. He’s mistaken for for the preacher and taken to be hanged. The preacher’s wife falls for him; the preacher comes back, disguised/transfigured, and saves him. 4 stars.
Major Barbara (1905)
This is a where-does-the-money-come-from play, like Mrs. W’s Profession. The money comes from making and selling weapons of war. Major Barbara’s crisis of conscience makes her more mature and likable than the daughter in Mrs. W’s Profession. 4 stars.
The Doctor’s Dilemma (1906)
An accomplished doctor has just been made a lord. (He and his fellow doctors each have a pet theory about the cause and cure of most disease - blood poisoning from a diseased nuciform sac; stimulation of the phagocytes; something about opsinin - but he seems to be the smartest and most reliable.) A beautiful young woman begs him to save her husband, who is sick with consumption. The husband is a young artist of extraordinary talent, and a bad person - a liar, thief and cheat. The doctor has an old friend, a very good person who is poor, who also has consumption. There’s only enough cure to save one more person. Who does the doctor save? 2 stars.
Misalliance (1910)
The dynamo who created the Tartan Underwear Empire (apparently it’s “Tarleton”) and his family are at home with guests. An airplane crashes into their greenhouse. The daughter chases after the pilot. Her fiancé is smitten with the airplane passenger (a Polish acrobat). The older men pursue the younger women. The son of the dynamo’s jilted former lover shows up with a gun, hides, and overhears everything. This play is a hot mess. Sometimes very funny. Wikipedia says it’s “an ironic examination of the mating instincts of a varied group of people” and that the female lead is “a typical Shaw heroine who exemplifies his lifelong theory that in courtship, women are the relentless pursuers and men the apprehensively pursued.” You can learn a lot from Wikipedia. 3 stars.
Pygmalion (1913)
The scene where Eliza tests out her new accent at the home of Dr. Higgins’s mother is very funny. Her accent has been transformed; her interests and vocabulary have not. 5 stars.
Mrs. Warren's profession (1893; not performed till 1902).
Smart young independent woman learns where her money comes from. Is she supposed to be a voice of moral authority? Is her mother supposed to be a villain? You don’t know, and you have a headache. (Compare Major Barbara (below), and Oscar Wilde’s better (lighter, more merciful) treatment of hypocrisy in Lady Windemere’s Fan (1892).) One star.
Arms and the Man (1894). Fun but a little earnest. The talkative, world-weary chocolate-cream soldier is on the run and hiding in the rooms of the respectable family of a military man. 4 stars.
Candida (1894)
Candida, a beautiful and worldly-wise woman, is married to a moralist/orator and is being courted by his aristocratic assistant. Her father is a man of business. Husband and suitor squabble for love of wife. Wife moralizes about how much the husband needs her. Dripping with earnestness. 2 stars.
The Devil’s Disciple (1897)
American revolutionary times. The black sheep of the family is found in the home of a preacher who is wanted for insurrection. He’s mistaken for for the preacher and taken to be hanged. The preacher’s wife falls for him; the preacher comes back, disguised/transfigured, and saves him. 4 stars.
Major Barbara (1905)
This is a where-does-the-money-come-from play, like Mrs. W’s Profession. The money comes from making and selling weapons of war. Major Barbara’s crisis of conscience makes her more mature and likable than the daughter in Mrs. W’s Profession. 4 stars.
The Doctor’s Dilemma (1906)
An accomplished doctor has just been made a lord. (He and his fellow doctors each have a pet theory about the cause and cure of most disease - blood poisoning from a diseased nuciform sac; stimulation of the phagocytes; something about opsinin - but he seems to be the smartest and most reliable.) A beautiful young woman begs him to save her husband, who is sick with consumption. The husband is a young artist of extraordinary talent, and a bad person - a liar, thief and cheat. The doctor has an old friend, a very good person who is poor, who also has consumption. There’s only enough cure to save one more person. Who does the doctor save? 2 stars.
Misalliance (1910)
The dynamo who created the Tartan Underwear Empire (apparently it’s “Tarleton”) and his family are at home with guests. An airplane crashes into their greenhouse. The daughter chases after the pilot. Her fiancé is smitten with the airplane passenger (a Polish acrobat). The older men pursue the younger women. The son of the dynamo’s jilted former lover shows up with a gun, hides, and overhears everything. This play is a hot mess. Sometimes very funny. Wikipedia says it’s “an ironic examination of the mating instincts of a varied group of people” and that the female lead is “a typical Shaw heroine who exemplifies his lifelong theory that in courtship, women are the relentless pursuers and men the apprehensively pursued.” You can learn a lot from Wikipedia. 3 stars.
Pygmalion (1913)
The scene where Eliza tests out her new accent at the home of Dr. Higgins’s mother is very funny. Her accent has been transformed; her interests and vocabulary have not. 5 stars.
June 2, 2020
Rating for Pygmalion.
February 5, 2016
Arms and the Man:-
What seems obvious might after all not be so, and those that are seemingly snobbish and haughty might be not as affluent after all as those that seem casual or even comic. those that speak of love and are rewarded for their bravery might have never experienced either.
And then there is Switzerland, the beautiful land with snow and meadows and chocolate and cheese, and contradictions - a country that never fought a war in recent history but has always hired out mercenaries to every nation.
September 10, 2008.
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
Candida:-
Revolutionary, as much else by Mr. Shaw, this work, about a luminous woman with her own mind and strength and wisdom - perhaps much like your wife or mother, at that - and entirely worthy of more than reading. About love and truth about love, and about marriage. About strength, and about one's responsibility.
Once it was understood without hypocrisy that a man looked for a wife who could make a home for him, and a woman had to make the best possible choice at every moment, either gambling on getting a better offer, or taking the best she had, in marrying a man who could provide for the home she would make. Few were lucky to find love as well, at the same time - most did the best they could, and things have not changed in this respect, only there is more hypocrisy in name of love.
Love is not so easy to either find or choose or live with.
Love might very well be a man too young to provide a family for the woman whom he fell in love with - she might be married, with a family, if she is lucky, not still waiting and dispirited. Will she then choose him? Or will conservative values win and she advise the younger man, the lover, to go find someone appropriate?
If she does, it might just be that she has wisdom and courage to name the real reasons for her decision, and explain them. A woman - a wife and mother, in potential and instinct even when not de facto - chooses the weaker one, to care for and to protect with all she has to give, which is love and care and understanding and more.
A scrawny young poet, and a respected much loved minister, who does the woman choose? Or does she have to choose between them?
Monday, September 22, 2008.
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
The Devil 19s Disciple:-
True goodness need not be certified by a faith or an institution that claims sole rights to mediate with powers above and absolve people from sins. Adhering to an institution of such nature does not guarantee goodness of a person, and equally, one does not turn devil against one's own true nature simply by rebelling against such an institution,
When it comes to it, a man of noble spirit goes with the soul, and never mind his repudiation of institutions that claim rights to heaven.
Friday, February 21, 2014.
........................................................................................
.........................................................................................
Mrs. Warren 19s Profession:-
Age old dilemma of society - "respectable"vs. the other side, and the need of one for the other. It must have of course been extremely controversial when it was written - and published - but this writer was always more than equal to any criticism and could always argue either side of a debate with reason.
This one is not a comedy, though, and one is presented with Mrs. Warren's side quite reasonably.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008.
........................................................................................
.........................................................................................
What seems obvious might after all not be so, and those that are seemingly snobbish and haughty might be not as affluent after all as those that seem casual or even comic. those that speak of love and are rewarded for their bravery might have never experienced either.
And then there is Switzerland, the beautiful land with snow and meadows and chocolate and cheese, and contradictions - a country that never fought a war in recent history but has always hired out mercenaries to every nation.
September 10, 2008.
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
Candida:-
Revolutionary, as much else by Mr. Shaw, this work, about a luminous woman with her own mind and strength and wisdom - perhaps much like your wife or mother, at that - and entirely worthy of more than reading. About love and truth about love, and about marriage. About strength, and about one's responsibility.
Once it was understood without hypocrisy that a man looked for a wife who could make a home for him, and a woman had to make the best possible choice at every moment, either gambling on getting a better offer, or taking the best she had, in marrying a man who could provide for the home she would make. Few were lucky to find love as well, at the same time - most did the best they could, and things have not changed in this respect, only there is more hypocrisy in name of love.
Love is not so easy to either find or choose or live with.
Love might very well be a man too young to provide a family for the woman whom he fell in love with - she might be married, with a family, if she is lucky, not still waiting and dispirited. Will she then choose him? Or will conservative values win and she advise the younger man, the lover, to go find someone appropriate?
If she does, it might just be that she has wisdom and courage to name the real reasons for her decision, and explain them. A woman - a wife and mother, in potential and instinct even when not de facto - chooses the weaker one, to care for and to protect with all she has to give, which is love and care and understanding and more.
A scrawny young poet, and a respected much loved minister, who does the woman choose? Or does she have to choose between them?
Monday, September 22, 2008.
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
The Devil 19s Disciple:-
True goodness need not be certified by a faith or an institution that claims sole rights to mediate with powers above and absolve people from sins. Adhering to an institution of such nature does not guarantee goodness of a person, and equally, one does not turn devil against one's own true nature simply by rebelling against such an institution,
When it comes to it, a man of noble spirit goes with the soul, and never mind his repudiation of institutions that claim rights to heaven.
Friday, February 21, 2014.
........................................................................................
.........................................................................................
Mrs. Warren 19s Profession:-
Age old dilemma of society - "respectable"vs. the other side, and the need of one for the other. It must have of course been extremely controversial when it was written - and published - but this writer was always more than equal to any criticism and could always argue either side of a debate with reason.
This one is not a comedy, though, and one is presented with Mrs. Warren's side quite reasonably.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008.
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.........................................................................................
May 20, 2018
I really love this book, which have 8 of Shaw's best play, without "Man and Superman" though. I have been searching for a performance of "Man and Superman", but no luck so far. Whatever is performed in the book is rather loyal to the dialog of the book. The only thing I find lacking is the reading of the prefix and the appendix, in which Shaw have provided a lot of his thoughts, some funnier than the play itself. Overall, I really enjoyed this edition by LA Theater. I hope they have a video for sale. I am wondering if I can obtain performances of all Shaw's plays. It's rumored that he wrote 70 plays. Surely I can read, but reading is not as enjoyable as listening or watching as far as a play is concerned.
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July 12, 2018I didn't know what I was missing
I read this very long collection from beginning to end, discovering the brilliance of Shaw at every turn of the page. It took me a long time because there is so much here but it was worth every hour. When you consider what we are charged for modern writers of very little talent, to be able to get the complete works of a brilliant writer like Shaw for so little is astonishing. Yes, the collection could have been better edited -- in some places, much better -- but, if you can get past that imperfection, this collection is a trove of some of literature's finest pieces.
I read this very long collection from beginning to end, discovering the brilliance of Shaw at every turn of the page. It took me a long time because there is so much here but it was worth every hour. When you consider what we are charged for modern writers of very little talent, to be able to get the complete works of a brilliant writer like Shaw for so little is astonishing. Yes, the collection could have been better edited -- in some places, much better -- but, if you can get past that imperfection, this collection is a trove of some of literature's finest pieces.
April 1, 2010
One of my favorites. Shaw is captivating in his interpretation and perception of human relationships.
Read
September 12, 2012interesting
April 1, 2019
Easy to navigate collection
I don't need to rate Shaw. He's brilliant. This kindle edition is simple to navigate and easy to use as you move from Play to play and act to act.
I don't need to rate Shaw. He's brilliant. This kindle edition is simple to navigate and easy to use as you move from Play to play and act to act.
November 21, 2017
I loaned the audiobook through Bolinda & the local library service but it cut off before the last play (Pygmalion) was over.
December 3, 2018
Shaw writes well. He claimed to write better than Shakespeare. I'm not sure that's true. But I believe Shaw beats Shakespeare for arrogance. Yes, of course, recommended.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews