THE POCKET SHAW
+ Introduction and the FILM. + Timeline: The Life of Bernard Shaw + Bibliography (1200w)
POST ONE: Introduction / FILM / Timeline / Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
This section of www.wildetheatre.co.uk is dedicated to Oscar Wilde’s great contemporary and fellow Dubliner George Bernard Shaw.
‘SHAW’S CORNER’ was televised in 1987 starring Dermot Walsh and eventually was broadcast in over twenty countries. (Dermot Walsh 1924-2002. In 1949 he made his first London stage appearance under GBS’s direction in Shaw’s ‘Buoyant Billions’.)
The first stage performance of ‘SHAW’S CORNER’ was performed in 1990 by the late Malcolm Wroe, also a fine poet, at the Black Horse Inn, Kentish Town, London (and many other venues thereafter).
TIMELINE: THE LIFE OF BERNARD SHAW
1856 -1950
1856 – Born at 35, Synge St., Dublin.
1861 – Attended first of four Dublin schools, the Wesleyan Connexional.
1868 – Family moved to Vandeleur Lee’s house at Hatch St., Dublin.
1871 – Employed by Dublin estate agent, Townshend.
1872 – His mother and sisters left for London; he stayed with his father in Harcourt St., Dublin.
1876 – Left the estate agency and joined his mother in London.
1879 – Employed by Edison Telephone Co. for a few months. Joined Zetetical Society and met Sidney Webb. Wrote his first novel, ‘Immaturity’.
1880 – Wrote second novel, ‘The Irrational Knot’.
1881 – Wrote third novel, ‘Love among The Artists’. Contracted smallpox and ceased to shave. Turned vegetarian after reading Shelley.
1882 – Wrote fourth novel, ‘Cashel Byron’s Profession’. Converted to Socialism after hearing a speech by the American Henry George.
1883 – Wrote fifth and last novel, ‘An Unsocial Socialist’. None were published.
1884 – Joined the Fabian Society.
1885 – Moved with his mother to Fitzroy Square, London. Began, then abandoned his first play, ‘Widowers’ Houses’. Lost his virginity to Jennie Patterson.
1886 – Became art critic for ‘The World’.
1887 – Participated in the ‘Bloody Sunday’ riot in Trafalgar Square. Edited Fabian Essays.
1888 – Became music critic for the Star under the name of ‘Corno di Bassetto’.
1890 – Music critic for ‘The World’.
1892 – Finished his first play, ‘Widowers’ Houses’. Began his correspondence with the actress Ellen Terry.
1893 – Wrote ‘The Philanderer’ and ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’.
1894 – Resigned as music critic. Wrote ‘Arms and the Man’ and ‘Candida’. ‘Arms and the Man’ was performed in London and New York.
1895 – Dramatic critic for the Saturday Review. Wrote ‘The Man of Destiny’ and ‘You Never Can Tell’. First meeting with H. G. Wells, also learnt to cycle.
1896 – Wrote ‘The Devil’s Disciple’.
1897 – Became a vestryman (borough councillor) of St Pancras, North London.
1898 – Recovered from illnesses and accidents. Resigned as drama critic. Married Charlotte Payne-Townshend. Wrote ‘Caesar and Cleopatra’.
1899 – Wrote ‘Captain Brassbound’s Conversion’.
1900 – Moved to his wife’s flat at Adelphi Terrace, London.
1903 – Resigned from St. Pancras Council. Finished ‘Man and Superman’.
1904 – Wrote ‘John Bull’s Other Island’. Defeated as candidate for the London County Council. Moved to Welwyn, Hertfordshire. Joined Vedrenne/Barker to develop the Royal Court Theatre.
1905 – Revisited Ireland after 29 years of absence. Wrote ‘Major Barbara’. Moved to a new house at Ayot St. Lawrence, Herts.
1906 – Wrote ‘The Doctor’s Dilemma’. Went to France to sit for the sculptor Rodin.
1908 – Wrote ‘Getting Married’.
1909 – Wrote ‘The Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet’ and ‘Misalliance’.
1910 – Wrote ‘The Dark Lady of the Sonnets’.
1911 – Wrote ‘Fanny’s First Play’.
1912 – Wrote ‘Androcles and the Lion’, ‘Overruled’, and ‘Pygmalion’.
1913 – Wrote ‘Great Catherine’. Helped to found the New Statesman magazine.
1914 – Wrote ‘Common Sense About the War’.
1916 – Wrote ‘O’Flahertie V.C.’, ‘The Inca of Perusalem’, and ‘Augustus Does His Bit’.
1917 – Wrote ‘Annajanska’. Toured the Western Front at the invitation of General Haig.
1919 – Finished ‘Heartbreak House’.
1920 – Blanche Patch became his secretary. He finished ‘Back to Methusalah’.
1923 – Wrote ‘St. Joan’.
1924 – First broadcast of a Shaw play (‘O’Flahertie V.C.’). Theatre censor lifted the ban on ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’.
1925 – Awarded Nobel Prize for Literature.
1928 – Published ‘The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism’.
1929 – Wrote ‘The Applecart’ for the first Malvern Festival.
1930 – His first play was filmed. Published his first novel ‘Immaturity’.
1931 – Wrote ‘Too True To Be Good’. Visited USSR and met Josef Stalin. His correspondence with Ellen Terry was published.
1932 – Visited South Africa. Wrote ‘The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God’. Embarked on a round-the-world cruise.
1933 – Visited America, stopping at Hollywood and staying one night in New York. Wrote ‘On the Rocks’ and ‘Village Wooing’.
1934 – Wrote ‘The Six of Calais’ and ‘The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles’. Visited New Zealand.
1935 – Wrote ‘The Millionairess’. He met the film director Gabriel Pascal and began their cinematic association.
1938 – Suffered then recovered from pernicious anaemia. Wrote ‘Geneva’.
1939 – Wrote ‘In Good King Charles’ Days’.
1940 – ‘Major Barbara’ filmed.
1942 – Retired from the Council of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
1943 – Wrote ‘Everybody’s Political What’s What’. Death of his wife, Charlotte.
1946 – Radio broadcast on his ninetieth birthday. Made a Freeman of Dublin and St. Pancras.
1947 – Finished ‘Buoyant Billions’. Shaw radio festival broadcast by BBC.
1949 – Wrote ‘Far Fetched Fables’.
1950 – Fell while pruning an apple tree. Died at his home in Ayot St. Lawrence.