SAINT JOAN By George Bernard Shaw


Each season, The Shaw Festival revives one of George Bernard Shaw’s plays. In 2017, Saint Joan, Shaw’s blistering critique of war and religion, stars Sara Topham as Joan. Joan leads the underdog French armies to victory over the invading British forces. Despite saving the country, Joan is betrayed by both the religious bureaucracy and Charles VII, who wouldn’t be King without Joan’s bravery.

I first read Saint Joan in the late 1960s while I was a student at Marquette University. I went to dozens of plays on and off campus during those years and was drawn to Shaw’s plays. I listened to an audio version of Saint Joan with Siobhan McKenna as Joan. Electrifying! This Shaw Festival version was compelling and thought-provoking. Do you have a favorite George Bernard Shaw play? GRADE: B+

8 thoughts on “SAINT JOAN By George Bernard Shaw

  1. Jeff Meyerson

    Heartbreak House
    Pygmalion
    The Devil’s Disciple

    We’ve seen SAINT JOAN a couple of times, once with Lynn Redgrave.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Rick, I’ve seen almost all the plays George Bernard Shaw wrote. Having the Shaw Festival next door makes his work available each year!

      Reply
    1. george Post author

      Bob, I’ve seen a few movies based on Shaw plays. MY FAIR LADY certainly is the best known. I wore out the grooves of the MY FAIR LADY soundtrack when I was a kid!

      Reply
  2. Dan

    I’ve always thought Shaw had an abundance of talent but a deficit of genius. Whatever that means, it still puts him one up on me.

    Reply

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