Major Barbara

by George Bernard Shaw Narrated by Kate Burton, Roger Rees

Overview

Barbara is a major in the Salvation Army - but she's also the daughter of Andrew Undershaft, a man who's made millions from the sale of weapons of war. The real battle, however, rages between between the devilish father and his idealistic daughter as they answer the question: does salvation come through faith or finance? This sparkling comedy traverses family relations, religion, ethics and politics - as only Shaw, the master dramatist, can!

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring J.B. Blanc, Kate Burton, Matthew Gaydos, Brian George, Hamish Linklater, Henri Lubatti, Kirsten Potter, Roger Rees, Russell Soder, Amelia White, Missy Yager and Sarah Zimmerman.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

The classic Shaw play is interpreted by this extremely talented cast of 12 performers, which mounts a rousing, unforgettable show complete with incredibly well-produced and realistic sound effects that capture everything from doors creaking open, bustling crowds on city streets and impatient horses ready to trot. Roger Rees as the elder Undershaft and Kirsten Potter as his daughter Barbara are standouts. The two play off each another very well and offer some truly memorable arguments that are the cornerstone of the story. The engaging cast sweeps listeners off to the cobblestone streets of old England. (June)

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From the Publisher

By the Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature

“[Shaw] did his best in redressing the fateful unbalance between truth and reality, in lifting mankind to a higher rung of social maturity. He often pointed a scornful finger at human frailty, but his jests were never at the expense of humanity.” —Thomas Mann
 
“Shaw will not allow complacency; he hates second-hand opinions; he attacks fashion; he continually challenges and unsettles, questioning and provoking us even when he is making us laugh. And he is still at it. No cliché or truism of contemporary life is safe from him.” —Michael Holroyd
 
“In his works Shaw left us his mind. . . . Today we have no Shavian wizard to awaken us with clarity and paradox, and the loss to our national intelligence is immense.” —The Sunday Times
 
“He was a Tolstoy with jokes, a modern Dr. Johnson, a universal genius who on his own modest reckoning put even Shakespeare in the shade.” —The Independent
 
“His plays were superb exercises in high-level argument on every issue under the sun, from feminism and God, to war and eternity, but they were also hits—and still are.” —The Daily Mail

NOVEMBER 2008 - AudioFile

Dakin Matthews has directed a production that has subtlety and energy. He finds thoughtful laughter in both the sharp epigrams ("The more destructive war becomes, the more fascinating we find it") and the personalities of Shaw's 1905 comedy of ideas. Again and again, a careful pause and a stressed phrase elicit an appreciative response from the live audience and make this challenging play accessible and enjoyable. Roger Rees stresses the intelligence and audacity of Andrew Undershaft, the munitions tycoon. Kirsten Potter depicts the strength and vulnerability of the title character, a saver of souls in the Salvation Army, whose view of life clashes with that of Undershaft, who is her father. An exceptional job—as good as any recording of any Shaw play. G.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172085574
Publisher:	L.A. Theatre Works
Publication date:	03/01/2008
Edition description:	Unabridged

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