Shaw

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (1856 - 1950)

In the first issue of The Savoy in January 1896, Bernard Shaw (as he always preferred to be called) describes a visit to St George's church in Jesmond in the early '90s, while out walking in what he calls 'a polite suburb of Newcastle'. He was much impressed by the building, but got little out of the Geordie verger, who responded to every question with the information that Mr Spence (the architect) was responsible. Shaw felt that the decoration of the church (built in 1888) was so beautiful that there ought to have been more of it.

Shaw also had theatrical links with Newcastle. His Caesar and Cleopatra for example, was given its copyright performance on 15 March 1899 by Mrs Patrick Campbell's company. Shaw's other famous actress friend was Ellen Terry, the leading Shakespearian actress of the day. She and Henry Irving dominated the British and American stage from 1878-1902. She married her third husband, John Wardell, in 1876. He was the son of Henry Wardell, the vicar of Winlaton. She writes tenderly:

'I married again. I had met Charles Wardell, whose stage name was Kelly, when he was acting in 'Rachael the Reaper' for Charles Reade. At the Court we played together in several pieces. He had not been bred an actor, but a soldier. He was in the 66th Regiment, and had fought in the Crimean War; been wounded, too-- no carpet knight. His father was a clergyman, vicar of Winlaton, Northumberland [sic] --a charming type of the old-fashioned parson, a friendship with Sir Walter Scott in the background, and many little possessions of the great Sir Walter's in the foreground to remind one of what had been.'

Shaw was a strong supporter of the People's Theatre in Newcastle, and in 1921, was invited to visit its new premises in the Royal Arcade. The dramatist, however, said that he wouldn't visit Newcastle in February to see the day of judgment, let alone Man and Superman, affecting to take the invitation as an indirect attempt on his life. He did arrive in April, however, and when the audience called on him to speak, he stood up and said that they had been listening to Shaw for three hours and if that wasn't enough, he couldn't hope to satisfy them - and sat down again. Asked his opinion of the performance, the sage simply remarked: 'Infamous' - though if that was really true, the difficulties he had himself placed in the way of the production were largely responsible.

The grassy mound where Rye Hill ends marks the site where, in 1936, at the age of 80, Shaw made his final appearance on any stage at the end of the People's performance of Candida. Shaw spoke for about fifteen minutes, declaring that for his last performance there was no theatre he would rather be in.

Myers Literary Guide:	The North-East
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (1856 - 1950) In the first issue of The Savoy in January 1896, Bernard Shaw (as he always preferred to be called) describes a visit to St George's church in Jesmond in the early '90s, while out walking in what he calls 'a polite suburb of Newcastle'. He was much impressed by the building, but got little out of the Geordie verger, who responded to every question with the information that Mr Spence (the architect) was responsible. Shaw felt that the decoration of the church (built in 1888) was so beautiful that there ought to have been more of it. Shaw also had theatrical links with Newcastle. His Caesar and Cleopatra for example, was given its copyright performance on 15 March 1899 by Mrs Patrick Campbell's company. Shaw's other famous actress friend was Ellen Terry, the leading Shakespearian actress of the day. She and Henry Irving dominated the British and American stage from 1878-1902. She married her third husband, John Wardell, in 1876. He was the son of Henry Wardell, the vicar of Winlaton. She writes tenderly: 'I married again. I had met Charles Wardell, whose stage name was Kelly, when he was acting in 'Rachael the Reaper' for Charles Reade. At the Court we played together in several pieces. He had not been bred an actor, but a soldier. He was in the 66th Regiment, and had fought in the Crimean War; been wounded, too-- no carpet knight. His father was a clergyman, vicar of Winlaton, Northumberland [sic] --a charming type of the old-fashioned parson, a friendship with Sir Walter Scott in the background, and many little possessions of the great Sir Walter's in the foreground to remind one of what had been.' Shaw was a strong supporter of the People's Theatre in Newcastle, and in 1921, was invited to visit its new premises in the Royal Arcade. The dramatist, however, said that he wouldn't visit Newcastle in February to see the day of judgment, let alone Man and Superman, affecting to take the invitation as an indirect attempt on his life. He did arrive in April, however, and when the audience called on him to speak, he stood up and said that they had been listening to Shaw for three hours and if that wasn't enough, he couldn't hope to satisfy them - and sat down again. Asked his opinion of the performance, the sage simply remarked: 'Infamous' - though if that was really true, the difficulties he had himself placed in the way of the production were largely responsible. The grassy mound where Rye Hill ends marks the site where, in 1936, at the age of 80, Shaw made his final appearance on any stage at the end of the People's performance of Candida. Shaw spoke for about fifteen minutes, declaring that for his last performance there was no theatre he would rather be in.
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