Youth is Wasted on the Young . . . George Bernard Shaw
The prolific playwright, critic, novelist and essayist,
George Bernard Shaw is featured with the current production of the Pittsburgh
Public Theater’s British Invasion. Candida, one of Shaw’s earlier works and
part of the trilogy penned under Plays
Pleasant, is a study in human
relationship’s: husband/wife, employer/employee, poet/enabling wannabe (to the
poet) paramour, father –in-law/son-in-law.
Shaw weaves the playful rhythm, tone and wit of language bred from his
native Ireland. Humor is frequent and
the audience appreciates the well-phrased and delivered commentary of the
then-current societal mores. While some
elements of the conversations appear dated (the use of cant, for example, was
last heard in a long ago class on literature) , the majority of the dialogue
transcends time, as appropriate in Victorian England as it is in the 21st
Century Pittsburgh.
In Candida, the audience is treated to a preview of the
characters that will be arguably Shaw’s most recognizable players from
Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. The dissolute
Eugene Marchbanks (Jared McGuire) is a
precursor (at least to this viewer) of Freddie Aynsford-Hill; Candida’s father, Mr. Burgess (John O’Creagh) is reminiscent of
Alfred P. Doolittle, the common dustman with his broad cockney accent juxtaposed
with the costume finery of a gentleman after he is thrust directly into middle
class morality by Henry Higgins’ recommendation, getting to the church on time. The audience is reminded that in Shaw, one
finds a Nobel Prize winner and an Oscar winner, an unlikely and unique
combination of tributes held solely by him.
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| Gretchen Egolf as Candida and David Whalen as Vicar Morell (Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Public Theater) |
Candida (Gretchen Egolf), the namesake of the work, is a
beautiful woman who is coveted by both her husband, The Reverend James Mavor
Morell (David Whalen) and Eugene, the young poet who is clearly enamored with
her. Candida appears to be initially oblivious
of being the object of Marchbanks’ attentions, almost like a cat playing with a
mouse. Later, we realize she is much
more self and situationally aware.
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| Gretchen Egolf as Candida and Jared McGuire as Eugene Marchbanks (Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Public Theater) |
The play is set in Victoria Park on the outskirts of London
at the turn of the 20th century spanning a single day in the study
and sitting room of St. Dominic’s Vicarage.
Candida is
directed by the venerable Ted Pappas and continues at the O’Reilly Theater through
May 18th.
This review of Candida was written by Joyce Kane on behalf of Positively Pittsburgh Live Magazine and Roving Pittsburgher. Joyce is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Assistant service company providing on demand business support services for entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and anyone else needing help. We help businesses work on their business rather than in their business. www.cybertary.com/Pittsburgh
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