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Man and Superman

A Comedy and a Philosophy

OVERVIEW

  • Playwright

    George Bernard (GB) Shaw 

  • Setting

    London, the 1910s (The often-omitted Act III takes place in the Sierra Nevada, Spain)

  • Synopsis

    John Tanner is a left-leaning intellectual and author of "The Revolutionist's Handbook and Pocket Companion". He is also the marital target of a certain Ann Whitefield. Tanner is determined to escape. Whitefield is equally determined to succeed. An satirical look at the conventions governing relations between the sexes, presented as a modern re-telling of the myth of Don Juan.

  • Play Type

    Plays General

    Number Of Acts

    Full-Length

  • Cast Size Male

    6

  • Cast Size Female

    5

  • Cast Notes

    Act III, Don Juan in Hell, features a further 4 roles, one female and three male. See relevant entry.

Original Production

  • Date of First Production

    23 May 1905

  • Production Notes

    The production listed here, like many after it, opted to cut out the Third Act, "Don Juan in Hell", which did not see public performance until the Royal Court revival of the play in June 1907. "Don Juan in Hell" has since been performed as a separate play in its own right; see separate playography entry.
  • Producer

  • Original Venue


  • Venue Notes

    First presented at the Royal Court Theatre, London.

  • Irish Premiere Notes

    First performed in Ireland at the Abbey Theatre in 1917.

Original Cast  
Octavius Robinson Lewis Casson
John Tanner Harley Granville-Barker
Hector Malone Hubert Harben
Ann Whitefield Lillah McCarthy
Mrs Whitefield Florence Hayden
Parlourmaid Hazel Thompson
Henry Straker Edmund Gwenn
Miss Ramsden Agnes Thomas
Roebuck Ramsden Charles Goodhart
Mr Malone J.D. Beveridge
Violet Robinson Sarah Brooke
Production Team  
Director George Bernard (GB) Shaw
Assistant Director Harley Granville-Barker

Published Scripts

Rights Information

Source Of Information

Additional information for this entry was taken from Schrank & Demastes' 'Irish Playwrights 1880-1995: A Research and Production Sourcebook'.